The Tale of Severus Prince
by Komodo Butterfly
Summary: Tobias took things too far and killed his wife when Severus was five. This single event created a ripple effect, resulting in a world where Severus never attended Hogwarts, was never bullied by the Marauders, and above all where Severus was loved. Happily married and expecting once again, Severus reflects on the events that allowed him to live his dream life. SSMulti, Mpreg.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of these characters.**

**This has been an idea I've had for a while. I've really only seen a handful of fics where Severus attends a different school, and they're usually either with Lily or the marauders joining him or they're filled with oc's until he ends up being pretty much the only canon character. I wanted to try a fic where Severus never attended Hogwarts and how that impacted him in later life. Above all I wanted to try a fic where Severus would be happy, married and with a family of his own.**

**Pairing: SSMultiple (All males, sorry for those SevLily fans).**

**Warnings: Child abuse (In this chapter and possible mentions later), Mpreg (Won't be for another few chapters), Mentions of death and violence, Slash (Male on Male).**

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><p>The past is funny when you think about it. Change just the tiniest thing and you could create a ripple effect, where the smallest thing affects more and more until the very fate of the world becomes at stake. Take for instance the butterfly. You know what they say, go back in time and destroy a butterfly and you could change the future, not necessarily for the better. A bit of an odd example I'll admit, but take this into consideration.<p>

An eleven year old boy grows up hearing of nothing but Hogwarts, his ticket to freedom. His chance to escape a home of abuse and hateful relatives. A chance for him to become the greatest thing imaginable, a wizard! And it all starts at Hogwarts. But what if he doesn't go to Hogwarts? What if instead this raven haired little boy is taken to another school, where he is free to learn and even create the most powerful of magic. What then? What will happen to the wizarding world if this one thing changes?

Now I know what you're thinking. That this is another example of the infamous Boy Who Lived being whisked away from the clutches of the great Albus Dumbledore, to become the most powerful (and most desired) magical being there is. Well it's not. Not everything is about Harry Potter, no matter what some fangirls and even some fanboys may think. No, this is about a man before Harry's time to shine. A man whose greatest mistake was to enter the halls of Hogwarts as a student, setting himself up for a lifetime of ridicule and torment. This is about the greatest spy even known, one Severus Tobias Snape.

What would happen if he never became who everyone expected him to be? What if he became something no one expected? Someone who was loved, desired and above all happy. Who would have thought that the greasy snake, the boy everyone despised, could become the boy everyone loved? And all it took was one little oversight to change the course of this boy's life for the better.

Submitted for the approval of the History of Magic, I call this story; The Tale of Severus Prince.

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><p>The problem with running a school, a magical school at that, is that there's a tremendous amount of work that needed to be done before the start of term. Schedules needed to be made, teachers hired or fired, and above all students needed to be assured their place in Hogwarts' hallowed halls. One particular student waiting for confirmation was that of Severus Snape-Prince. A halfblood born to an abusive muggle, Tobias Snape, and his weak-willed wife Eileen Prince. Not the most stable of households to grow up in I assure you. As such, it was living in such a household that would later change young Severus' life for the better, not that he'd become aware of this.<p>

Now as many parents may tell you, it can be a long and frustrating process in getting your child into a good school. Magical schools I'd like to remind you are no different. Despite popular opinion Hogwarts is not the only magical school in Britain, although it is undoubtedly the best the British government has to offer. As such the competition to get into a place such as Hogwarts is immense. Students are typically from longstanding pureblood families of great wealth and power. Although there are those halfbloods and muggleborns, that have the funds to afford such a school like Hogwarts.

In Severus' case however, things are somewhat different. After all no matter what you may be told, a school is still a business. Particularly a school like Hogwarts. It has staff to pay for, supplies to order and a building to maintain. This doesn't come cheap, as many parents will attest to after seeing the cost of tuition at Hogwarts. In Severus' case his mother was a Prince, a member of a proud and noble family who were above all pureblood until he was born. Naturally this caused quite the scandal, although neither Severus nor his mother were there to witness it, as she had chosen to stay with her muggle husband who knew nothing of her true heritage. To him, all he'd seen was a fit girl he'd wanted to shag, only to end up getting her knocked up.

Out of fear for her family and what everyone around them would say, Eileen pleaded with Tobias to marry her in a desperate attempt to protect her reputation. Now Tobias was a decent bloke, sure he was a bit loud and even a little violent after one too many drinks, but he wasn't a monster. After all he was the one who'd gotten her drunk enough to forget her own name. He was also smart enough to realise that people might consider it rape, and that was one thing he'd never wanted to be associated with. So he took responsibility for his actions, married the girl who would later birth his son, and as with every fairytale, things suddenly went horribly wrong. Well it wasn't that big a surprise considering the circumstances of Severus' birth.

The first few years of Severus' life were reasonably happy, sure he was poor and clearly malnourished due to their financial circumstances, but he was reasonably loved. I mean sure his mother was disowned and thrown out of her home, and his father was stuck marrying a one night stand to avoid being accused of rape, but they never held it against him. Or at the very least they never told him so directly. They weren't monsters after all.

Anyway Severus spent the first few years of his live fairly happy, his parents fed him when they had the funds to do so, and they played with him when they had the time and energy to spare. All in all there were worse ways to grow up, after all Severus was loved even if the circumstances of his birth were not. Even the cruellest of gossiping mothers could not fault Eileen and Tobias' affections towards their son. Of course they had plenty of things to gossip about, even without bringing up Severus; the Snape's financial situation for instance, or the parents' looks, or even the state of their home; anything was used to badmouth the Snape's. Or worse pity them in order to seem more charitable. But still it was an unwritten rule amongst those cackling hens that Severus was not to be mentioned. Small mercies and all that.

I'm getting off topic again; the point is Severus was loved. As much as his parents could manage considering his birth was an accident. But as he got older Severus began to display something his mother had long feared since marrying a muggle man. Severus began to display bursts of magic.

Truthfully Severus had been displaying since he was just two, from levitating cups to making his toys move unaided across the floor. Of course at this time there had been a major construction project gong on near their home. Bulldozers would work at all times of day, sending vibrations throughout the house. The served as a convenient excuse as to why Severus' toys may have moved, or why a cup may have smashed onto the floor. Truth be told, Severus was lucky that the circumstances were as they were. For if his father had discovered the truth at that age, well let's just say his childhood wouldn't have been nearly as happy as it was.

But as they say all good things must come to an end, and when he was five Severus made the mistake of summoning a football in front of his father. Of course he hadn't meant to, he just wanted his dad to keep playing with him. How was he to know his father would respond the way he did? I mean sure he'd learned that when he wished hard for something he would get it; books would appear from thin air, sweets and biscuits would drop into his lap. Just little things that many children wished they could have, for Severus they would just appear when he wished for them. Over the years it had become natural for him to make objects appear at will. As such he was ignorant to the potential consequences, but how could he be? After all he was simply a child. He couldn't be expected to understand how people feared what they considered unnatural, and unfortunately for Severus, nothing was more unnatural then the possession of magic, at least according to his father.

It happened soon after his fifth birthday; Severus was in their small garden chasing after a football with his father at his heels. How was he to know that by kicking the ball a little too hard it would go over the fence? How was he to know that his father knew nothing of his magic, having been warned by his mother to keep his abilities secret. How was he to know that by summoning the ball into his arms, his father would become consumed by fear and rage? How was he to know he'd be dragged inside, his father's grip tight and unrelenting, before experiencing something he'd never experienced before? Finally, how was he to know that his father, the man who should protect him and love him unconditionally, regardless of the circumstances of his birth, how was he to know that this would be the straw that broke the camel's back? All Severus knew was that once inside that house, his father's hand crushing his wrist in a bruising grip, the very minute he was inside and the door was shut, he would never forget the moment his father turned on him.

Hours later Severus was locked in his room, a sobbing mess as he cradled his arm that had been broken by his father's rage. His nose had clearly been broken, making breathing difficult as blood and snot clogged his airways. His skin littered with bruises and scratches, some of which had yet to stop bleeding. At that moment there was one thing Severus knew for sure. For the first time in his life Severus truly feared his father, and what was worse he feared what his mother would do when she returned from the shops. After all Severus had done the one thing his mother had forbade him to do, he had revealed his magic to one not of their world. And by doing so, he would pay the ultimate price.

In that very moment Severus feared for his very life, crying as every gasp for breath in his panicked state jolted his broken arm and made his nose throb with every sniffle. For a child of just five years old, it was heart-breaking. For Severus, it was devastating. As now he knew the cruelty of the world, what fear made people do, and that was a lesson he would never soon forget.

As he sat there sobbing quietly Severus failed to hear his mother's voice as she announced her return, nor did he notice his father's confrontation as he confronted his wife. What he did hear however was his mother's scream as a harsh slap echoed through the house's walls. Then another, and another and then a large crash before everything was silent. Severus didn't know how long he sat there, crying and terrified as he listened frantically for his mother's voice. All he knew was he couldn't escape, the door was locked and this time no matter how hard he wished, his wishes weren't coming true.

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><p>Minerva McGonagall had been the transfiguration professor at Hogwarts for many years now. She had been the deputy headmistress for a good number of those years; having attended Hogwarts herself as a child, she was familiar with the school and its secrets. As such, one of her duties was to ensure magical children were given the opportunity to study at Hogwarts once they turned eleven. This meant much of her time over the summer was dedicated to checking the records of magical births, whether pureblood or halfblood or even muggleborn. As such she was usually one of the first to recognise when something was wrong, as a system had long been set in place to alert the reader if a child was in danger. A necessity that had come about with the threat of war, where every magical birth was deemed precious, as all too many wizards and witches were destined to die at the hand of evil. After all it wasn't like the ministry was good for much, expect for blaming anyone else for their mistakes<p>

It was on one such night when Minerva was sipping her tea, warming by the fire, that an alarm sounded through her home and a name rose from the parchment. It was when the name shuddered and turned a blood red that Minerva rose in a panic, throwing floo powder into the flames as she called for a healer. Child abuse in the wizarding world was not a common occurrence; it was rather quite the rarity. Although it was notable that most cases occurred within the upper class families, where pureblood traditions and obsession over outwardly appearances meant punishments were harsh and at times fatal. As such staff at St Mungo's were trained to respond immediately, well aware that every second could and often did count in saving a child's life. Mere seconds later and a haggard Poppy Pomfrey stumbled from the fire before regaining her footing, tailed by two aurors as regulations required. Not only for the safety of the healer, but the safety and security for the victim, as children were rarely left alone for long.

With a hurried explanation and a frantic search through parchment to locate the child's address, the professor, healer and two aurors apparated to Spinner's end without delay. They arrived at sunset, unlocking the front door with a whispered alohamora as they were careful not to make a sound lest they be heard by whoever had hurt the child. It didn't take long for them to arrive at a particularly gruesome sight, the body of a woman with long black hair, her skull smashed in by a glass beer bottle that lay beside her body. A sudden movement caught their attention as a roar of what could only be described as pure rage was emitted. Whirling around Minerva gasped as she narrowly avoided being tackled to the ground by a black haired man. Immediately the aurors sprung to action, stunning the man whose bloody hands revealed him as the culprit behind his wife's death.

"Where is the child?" One ordered, wand in his face as he sneered down at the muggle bound before him.

Tobias Snape remained silent, sneering best as he could as he gazed blankly at the body of his wife, secure in the knowledge that he had beaten the freakishness out of her. In the back of his mind he briefly considered regretting his actions, at least towards his son. After all it was Eileen who had charmed him with her freakishness, he had no doubt that she had forced her magic on him to trick him into sleeping with her and later agreeing to marry her. Severus was just a child after all, he didn't know any better. In fact Tobias started to convince himself that over time Severus would have learned to forget about his magic, like children forgot about imaginary friends. It was just a phase that would pass.

Of course he knew he'd handled it badly, beating the boy then locking him in his room, but who could blame him? He'd made the ball float in the air as though it were nothing. Who knows what else he could have done? And what if he'd done it in public where the neighbours could see? No. The boy had to be taught a lesson, Tobias was sure of that. However in the back of his mind he knew that perhaps he'd taken it a little too far. But it was too late now, what was one was done and there was no changing it.

"You get one more chance, where is he?" The auror ordered, his partner kicking the man in an effort to get him to speak. Once again his question was met by stubborn silence, the man closing his eyes in defiance. The only movement the spell would really allow him to do.

Sneering in disgust at the muggle, the auror nodded to his partner before flicking his wand and levitating the man off the floor, intent on remanding him in custody. He'd be back later with help to remove the body. His partner nodded in acquiescence before exiting the living room, intent on finding the missing child. Minerva and Poppy hurried after him joining the search as they quickly zoomed in on a locked door at the end of the upstairs hallway. Soft sobbing could be heard spurring the three adults into action. A quick alohamora and the door was unlocked, Minerva pushing it open to a sight she would not soon forget.

A small pale skinned boy, with black hair and matching eyes gazed at her fearfully, frightened by the strange woman who had just entered his room. His sobbing momentarily paused only to resume as in his attempts to escape her hand his arm jolted, reminding him of just how much pain he was in. With a hiccupping sob he held his arm close to his body, eyeing the adults with blatant fear.

Minerva gasped in shock upon seeing the boy, Severus, in such a state. His nose swollen and bleeding, his skin covered in bruises and scratches, and above all his arm clearly broken as she watched him clutch it to his chest, clearly in agony. Poppy shared similar shock, although she was more concerned about the boy's rapid and uneven breathing. She feared it was likely his ribs were broken, or at the least bruised. At the worst she feared he may have punctured a lung. The final adult, auror Kingsley Shacklebolt, watched the boy with pity and alarm. The fear in his eyes reminded the auror of prisoners of war. Of those that had been tortured relentlessly in the pursuit of evil. But in his eyes this was worse. The boy looked around three, small and fragile, and the idea that the boy's own father had done this to him made him sick to his stomach.

"Severus? My name is Minerva McGonagall. I'm a teacher and this is Poppy Pomfrey, she's a mediwitch, it's like a doctor. We're here to help you, okay sweetheart? Will you let us help you?" Minerva asked, careful to stay calm yet keeping her distance out of fear of how he might react.

"What about him?" Severus asked, his voice wavering slightly as he fought not to tremble.

"My name is Kingsley Shacklebolt, I'm an auror, it's like a policeman. I stop bad guys from hurting children like you." Kingsley explained with a soft smile as the boy's eyes widened in awe. "Will you let us help you?"

Severus appeared to think it over carefully, his fear slowly being overridden by the pain pulsating from all over his body, specifically his arm, nose and chest. Finally he nodded, whimpering as the pain grew worse as he was carefully examined by Poppy. A series of diagnostic spells, throughout which Severus watched with a combination of awe and fear, made Poppy's smile fade into nothing. As she feared his ribs were broken, although thankfully he hadn't punctured a lung. His nose and arm had been broken as well, although she had expected that. She was still worried about his breathing though. The combination of pain, fear and injuries meant his breathing was too erratic and that worried her.

"Severus, I'm going to give you some medicine to make you feel better. It won't taste very good but it'll stop you hurting all right?" At his hesitant nod Poppy offered a warm smile, removing a small vial as she encouraged him to drink a pain reliever. The effect was noticeable as Severus grew relaxed, his body losing the rigidity it had held since they'd found him. Severus made a face at the taste before turning to the adults.

"I want mum, where is she? Does she not want me anymore? I didn't mean to make the ball fly, really I didn't!" He insisted as he waited for their response.

Now you may be wondering why Severus hadn't mentioned his mother until now. Truthfully he feared what had happened. After he heard her scream, heard the crash he'd heard nothing else. He was afraid his mother had left him because he hadn't kept his promise. He was afraid his father had done the same. His mum had told him so many times not to make things fly in front of his dad, but he'd forgotten. He'd just been so glad to play with his dad who was always working, he'd forgotten the rules. And now everything was ruined, he had been very bad and now his mum might not even want him anymore. At that thought Severus' resolve crumpled as he started crying once more, unable to stop.

"Oh Severus, I'm so sorry. Your mother, I'm afraid she's not coming back." At those words Severus knew he had ruined everything, wrapping his arms around Poppy's neck as she carefully lifted him from the bed.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it! Please! Tell mum I'm sorry, I'll be good! I won't ever be bad again, just tell her to come back, please!" He sobbed unaware of the uncomfortable look shared between the adults.

"She's not coming back sweetheart, I'm afraid your mother…I'm afraid she's dead. She can't come back even though I'm sure she wanted to." Minerva spoke softly, flinching as Severus froze before the word's registered in his mind.

"No! You're wrong! You're wrong! I want mum! I want my mum!" He cried, beating his fists against Poppy as she carefully carried him out the room. Minerva struggled to hold a sob of her own as she shared a look with Kingsley before following them out into the hall. Severus' wails followed by a crack of apparition was all that was heard before everything at Spinners' end was silent once again.

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><p><strong>Think I'll end there for now. I know it's been ages since I've posted anything but I've just finished my masters' which was unbelievably exhausting. Anyway I'm back and ready to write again. I am gonna aim to update once a month, which since I have a lot of free time right now should be achievable. But I'll admit updating regularly isn't something I'm good at so just be warned.<strong>

**Anyway let me know what you think. Ideally I'd like at least 2 reviews before I post another chapter, so that I know people are interested in the story.**

**Remember: It's a fanfiction crime to read and not review!**

**KB**


	2. Chapter 2

**It's been so long since I posted anything I was a little nervous about how people would react. But I've been amazed at how many reviews, favourites and follows I've received these last few days. I hope you enjoy this next chapter.**

If there was one thing Poppy Pomfrey was familiar with, it was that the fates were almost never fair. Looking at the child sleeping in the hospital bed, Poppy knew with certainty that this was the truth. After all, what could be fair about robbing a child of his mother? At his father's hands no less. How could a father beat his only child before murdering his wife, just because they had something he didn't? How could the fates do something so cruel to such an innocent child? To this Poppy had no answer. All she knew for sure was that for this little boy life would never be the same again.

Of course you could hardly expect the woman to understand. After all, all she had seen was a boy losing his mother in the cruellest of ways. To her such a thing was unbearable, something that should have never happened. But little did she know had such a thing not occurred, had the boy's mother lived, Severus would have been doomed to a life of misery and hate. It was this one act, brutal as it was, that set forth in motion a series of events that promised Severus his own happy ending.

Of course the fates could hardly explain this to the woman. It just didn't work that way. But it gave them comfort to know, that despite what those people thought of them, they had done the right thing.

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><p>It was a solemn day as the sun rose over Spinner's end. Neighbours had awoken to sirens blaring as police surrounded the Snape's home. Rumours had spread as to what had happened, from a break in gone wrong to a jilted lover seeking revenge. Of course it didn't take long for the muggle authorities to piece together what had happened and for the information to leak onto the major news channels.<p>

The story broke within mere hours of the sunrise. News reporters swarmed the front gate as they said their parts to the camera, pulling nosy neighbours aside for their fifteen minutes of fame. There was a pattern to their stories, how a loving and kind woman raised a sweet and shy little boy, while her brute of a husband drank away their savings. They turned it into a contest for who could make the tale seem that more tragic, conveniently forgetting the times they scorned the Snape family for merely existing.

After all it wasn't like it existed anymore. In their eyes Eileen Snape had been murdered in a jealous rage, her son meeting the same fate soon after. This was assumed after evidence of blood was found in Severus' room, the boy nowhere to be seen. Of course Tobias Snape had yet to be found as well, but in their minds his absence only solidified his guilt. After all what where they supposed to think? The man was gone, his wife murdered and his child missing and almost certainly dead. It didn't take much for the public to judge, especially once people started talking of his violent outbursts after he'd had a few. Not to mention how he'd been heard bemoaning his lot in life; stuck with the woman he'd knocked up on a night out with the lads.

However this speculation led to serious problem. It was all well and good gossiping about the man who'd supposedly murdered his family; the problem was no one had seen anything of him since before the body was found. This understandably led to panic. People chose to hide in their homes out of fear that they'd be the next target, mothers refused to let their children out of sight, well aware that their gossiping could spell their doom.

In short this became a problem. For the wizarding authorities were reluctant to release the man into muggle custody for fears that he'd reveal their world. On the other hand, refusing to do so would only incite further terror for the murderer still at large. This was the conundrum that Alastor Moody found himself in, as he stared down at the bound muggle tossed at his feet. Sighing in agitation, Moody turned to the auror that had brought the man to him.

"We have a contact with the muggle authorities. For our safety and protection he'll have to be obliviated. Our contact will know what to do with him then. He was the one to kill his wife after all, shouldn't be too hard to prove. Have him confined until we're ready to perform the spell. Tell anyone, especially the press, and you will be out of a job. I'm sure I don't need to remind you." Moody warned, receiving a sharp nod in response before both auror and muggle left the room, one willing and the other bound against his will.

"Bloody vultures, they'll be all over this in the morning." Moody sighed. It was common knowledge within the Ministry that stories of this calibre would usually be leaked out to the press within the hour. No matter how many were fired in disgrace, there were only more fools seeking instant fortune, to take their place. Undoubtedly by morning, the wizarding world would be made aware that a muggle had killed the heir to the esteemed Prince family. Moody was getting a headache just thinking about it.

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><p>Severus had never been much of a morning person, as it was with many young children. He'd always preferred the comfort and warmth of his bed, especially during the winter months when heat was a rarity in his home. This day however was something special, for it was the day that marked the start of his new life. Yet regardless of how special this day was, it was impossible to ignore the circumstances that provided Severus with his new life. It was therefore quite understandable that upon waking, once the remnants of sleep had cleared from his mind, Severus became quite distressed at waking in a stranger's bed.<p>

Well quite distressed would be putting it rather lightly. Indeed borderline catatonic might be a more suitable description. It was in such a state, trembling and crying quietly as the memories of the night before returned, that Poppy found young Severus. A state which I assure you, she would not soon forget.

Now as you may not be aware, healers were expected to follow a strict code of conduct. As with any line of work politics was always the top priority. Public image was prioritised over everything else, even saving lives, at least according to the ministry. This understandably led to much controversy between the staff who fought to save lives, and the ministry officials who fought to save face. As such, healers were expected to appear calm and collected at all times. They were not to rush or panic, and were never to offer patients' more affection than deemed appropriate.

Needless to say as a rule, the healers rarely responded well to the ministry's higher ups. They also ignored these demands as they saw fit. After all they were the ones who helped these people, who healed them and gave them new life. If they had to rush or panic to save a life they would. If they wanted to offer words of comfort or hugs to those without family or friends, then they would. And if Poppy Pomfrey wanted to wrap her arms around a sobbing orphan boy and never let go, then you can bet your arse she bloody well would. Regardless of what those ministry blowhards had to say about it.

Idiots like them could barely keep a goldfish alive, let alone have the knowledge to give their opinion on how healers should do their job. Just look at the mess they'd made of running the country. It was a wonder they had remained in office as long as they had, in Poppy's opinion. But I digress. The point was, Poppy was not about to let some self-absorbed dunderhead tell her how to do her job. More importantly, she could not in good conscience allow a five year old boy to lie sobbing in a hospital bed without anyone to comfort him. She simply could not allow it. As such Poppy wasted no time in rushing to the boy's side, wrapping him in her arms as she soothed him as best as she could.

Eventually the trembles became less and less, the sobbing gradually decreasing until all that could be heard was the little boy gasping for breath. Poppy grabbed a tissue from the side, wiping his nose and cleaning his face of tears before throwing it into a nearby bin.

"Shh sweetheart, it's alright. No one's going to hurt you. You're safe here". Poppy soothed. She looked down to see tearful black eyes looking up at her, before the boy leant forward to bury his head underneath her chin.

"Mum's not coming, is she?" Severus asked, the stiffening of Poppy's shoulders being all the answer he needed. "He killed her didn't he? I heard it". He asked once more.

"Yes, I'm afraid so". Poppy admitted. Under normal circumstances she'd feel the urge to lie, to protect the child in her arms. But here and now she couldn't bring herself to do so. Partly because she knew lying would do no good, not when the child had admitted to overhearing his mother's murder. But also because she just knew that the boy was far more intelligent than most at his age. She knew he would not be satisfied by half-hearted attempts at sparing his feelings, at attempts to shield him from the cruelty of his situation. No. After all they say the eyes are the window to the soul, and when Poppy had looked into his for that brief moment, she knew he was no ordinary child. So it was pointless to try and treat him as such.

Surprisingly Severus did not cry once again. He had already cried his fill. Hearing her confirmation did not upset him further, for he'd already known the truth. He just wanted to be sure he could trust her to tell him so. Severus knew that his life was forever changed, that the people he'd trusted weren't around to trust anymore. That in this new life of his, he needed people he could trust, and in that moment he knew he could trust this woman.

"Thank you". Severus said quietly. Thank you for not lying, for not treating me like a baby. The words were there he just couldn't bring himself to say them.

"I'm sorry pet, we'll get this sorted out". It was all Poppy could offer him. Feeling a nod against her chest she looked down at the little boy in her arms. She watched the steady rise and fall of his chest as he slowly drifted off, the day's events catching up to him. Mindful of the bandages that were wrapped around his arm and chest, she carefully tucked the boy into bed, leaving the room only when she was sure he was fast asleep.

"How is he?" Poppy turned to an anxious looking Minerva hovering in the doorway.

"He's stable. His bones were healed upon arrival and his lungs are fine, thank Merlin. We cleaned him up, the poor dear. He had bruises and scratches all over him. He's been given a pain reliever and I just gave him a nutrition potion an hour ago. He's malnourished, the poor thing, but I think that was more due to a lack of money than long-term abuse. At least from what I gathered about his home. But he'll need to take a nutrition potion twice a day for some time, at least until we get his weight up to a normal range. I'm more concerned about his mind though. He told me he heard his mother die, and then he thanked me for not lying to him. I think the poor boy is in shock, I know I would be in that situation. The poor thing, he'll need a lot of love and care to help him past this". Poppy sighed.

"We've contacted his grandfather on his mother's side, Augustus Prince. He's agreed to take the boy in, claims it's his family duty. However he's living in France now, so it'll be a day or so before he can come to collect Severus. It's not like we can send the child through the floo, or apparate with him in the state he's in. It just wouldn't be right". Minerva told her, unable to take her eyes off the sleeping child.

"I suppose it's a start. But didn't the man abandon his daughter for marrying that man? I can't help but worry for how he'd treat Severus. If he could be so cruel to his daughter, how would he treat his grandson?" Poppy asked, not really expecting an answer.

The two turned away from the door, making their way down the corridor as they shared their thoughts. Meanwhile Severus slept, unaware of what the future would hold.

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><p>Sat in his favourite chair, directly opposite the fireplace, Augustus Prince brooded. Clutched between his fingers was an old family photo. In it he stood proudly, his wife at his side as was expected and their children stood in front as tradition dictated. His eldest Sebastian shared his black eyes and sharp features. Even at eight it was clear who the boy belonged to. In later life he'd grown and married, producing a boy and girl as expected and earning his own fortune in the heart of France. Next his daughter Evelyn, sharing her mother's brown eyes and timid demeanour at just six years old. He'd always known she'd grow to become a fine wife and mother. She had done so at eighteen, marrying a young French pureblood as arranged, and birthing three beautiful children. The perfect example of a pureblood wife. Finally his youngest, Eileen, at just three years old. She'd shared his black eyes with her mother's face. More outgoing than her sister she'd been lively as a child, though life had soon beat it out of her. From her father's stern authority as a child, to her days at Hogwarts until finally at nineteen she'd fallen pregnant by a muggle man. The ultimate scandal.<p>

At that thought Augustus scowled, it had only been right to disown the stupid girl. She'd thrown aside her family, her status, to marry that muggle. That's what he couldn't stand. The truth was she hadn't waited until she'd been disowned to flee, choosing what she felt was the lesser of two evils to align herself with. Rather than face her father she ran to the man that had knocked her up, afraid of her father's actions. After all Augustus Prince was well known for his stern disposition, even to those he loved the most. It was that decision that ultimately led to her demise, her cowardice cementing her fate.

But still, he'd never wished his youngest dead. He'd hoped against hoped that one day she'd come to her senses. Then he thought of her child, her halfblood child. His youngest grandson, the only thing left he had of his Eileen. He had lost his daughter to that muggle monster. He refused to lose his grandson in the same way.

With a deep sigh Augustus snapped his fingers, a house elf appearing almost instantly as it waited for his command. "Have a room prepared; my grandson will be living with us indefinitely".

The house elf, Drippy, nodded before disappearing with a loud pop. While her expression remained neutral, as soon as she was out of sight she let out a wide smile. The thought of children living in the house once more filled her with happiness, for she'd always loved playing with the little ones. Without a second thought, Drippy summoned another two elves, ordering them both to help with the clean up as they all prepared the room for their new arrival.

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><p>The next day Severus woke to the sound of birds tweeting at the window. You know that really annoying sound when you're trying to sleep, but all you can hear is their incessant chirping at an ungodly hour in the morning. Well okay seven a.m may not be an ungodly hour to some, but to a five year old boy who has just lost everything, you can bet it wasn't the way he'd have preferred to wake up. Now waking up to the smell of breakfast cooking, of crisp bacon frying away, now that's a nice way to wake up. The point is after what was quite frankly a horrific night, Severus woke at a time he'd really rather be sleeping.<p>

"Good morning dear. Did you have a nice rest?" Poppy strode in, looking more cheerful than she had the night before. It's amazing what a good night's rest could do for you.

Severus merely nodded, slowly pushing the blankets aside as he waited for his memories to catch up, mind still half asleep. The sudden jolt he made indicated his memories had returned, as he swung his legs over the edge of the bed, looking down into his lap.

Watching the boy with barely disguised pity, Poppy took it upon herself to spell open the blinds, bustling around as she set down his breakfast and nutrition potion on a nearby trolley. "Here you are Severus, now you take this potion first, it won't taste too good I'm afraid but it'll make you better. If I were you I'd drink your juice right after, that way you won't have that icky taste in your mouth. Once you've drank all your potion you can eat your breakfast, okay pet?" Poppy guided him to a nearby chair, pulling the trolley up to him so he could eat.

Severus simply followed her orders, well aware that he had nothing else he could really do. After all it wasn't like he had anywhere else to go, and besides he could smell the bacon already. Severus downed the potion in several gulps, scrunching his face in distaste at the foul aftertaste. Taking the healer's advice to heart, he quickly gulped down half his juice to wash away the taste. That done, he turned to the proper English breakfast laid out for him; bacon, a sausage, fried egg, a hash brown and baked beans. Seeing as how he hadn't eaten since yesterday afternoon, it didn't take him long to chew his way through a good three quarters of the plate. But being unused to such large amounts of food made him unable to finish it all. Setting his knife and fork aside, Severus turned to Poppy.

"What happens now?" He asked, it was a valid question after all. He had no home and his injuries were pretty much healed. The physical ones anyway.

"Now we get you washed up, your teeth brushed and then we'll do one last check-up. Now I'm not sure if your mother told you, but her father, your grandfather, is still alive and has agreed to let you live with him. I know this might be a bit of a shock for you, but I'm sure you'll be very happy there". Poppy smiled, conveniently leaving out her own doubts about the man who'd abandoned his youngest daughter out of pureblood tradition. At least that's what the public had been led to believe. They always did love a good scandal.

"My grandfather? But mum said he was dead". Severus said, clearly confused as he tried to process this new revelation.

"Well your mum and grandfather had a nasty falling out before you were born. So I suppose she said he was dead because she was still very angry. But I promise you, your grandfather loves you, he's very excited about meeting you, you know". Poppy replied. Sure she was laying it on a bit thick, but she couldn't help herself. After all it wasn't like she was going to tell the boy the truth surrounding the circumstances of his birth, now was she.

"Really?" Severus asked. It was at that moment Poppy saw just how young Severus was, far too young to be dealing with such a situation at any rate.

"Yes. You know I bet your grandfather even has old photos of your mum when she was your age. I bet you and him can look at them together, and he can even tell you stories about her when she was a little girl. Would you like that?" She asked, receiving an enthusiastic nod in return.

"I'm glad. Now I've run a bath for you, so let's get you cleaned up before you go, okay?"

"Okay".

Poppy smiled as she led Severus to the adjoining bathroom, the tub filled with bubbles. She turned so he could strip, the bandages around his chest and arm having been removed by magic as he'd slept. The potions and spells having already done their work. Grabbing the shampoo she asked Severus to lean back, wetting his hair before shampooing the inky locks. Satisfied they were clean; she washed out the suds before letting him wash his body. Once he was done he held out a warm, thick towel, wrapping it around his skinny frame, smiling as he buried himself into it. It had been a long time since he'd felt so cosy, too long.

Poppy quickly got Severus dressed in a plain long sleeved shirt and black trousers and shoes. A children's sized cloak wrapped around his shoulders. Just in time for a knock at the door to startle her out of her thoughts. Opening the door, Poppy came face to face with Minerva and to her surprise, Kingsley.

"Good morning Poppy. We thought we'd check up on little Severus. Is he awake?" Minerva asked. Of course Poppy had expected her visit, after all the woman was something of a mother hen.

"Good morning Minerva, Kingsley. Yes he's awake, he's had his breakfast and his bath. Thought we'd get an early start before he leaves for his grandfather's.

Minerva winced slightly at the mention of Augustus Prince, before covering it with a smile as she saw a mop of black hair peeking out of the bathroom. Offering the boy a smile she greeted him good morning. Severus responded as such, although rather quietly for her liking, before he seemed to gather his courage and walk right up to Kingsley.

"Thank you for saving me sir". Severus spoke clearly, although clearly rather nervous as he was unable to hold the man's gaze for long.

"Just doing my job son. But you're very welcome". Kingsley couldn't help but feel bemusement. After all the boy he'd rescued from his murderer of a father, the same boy who just hours before had been inconsolable, had walked right up to him and thanked him for saving his life. He was stunned.

"How old are you boy?" Kingsley asked. He'd believed the boy to be three, given his stunted height and tiny frame. But three year olds surely weren't so mature. Not that he'd know, it wasn't like he made it a habit of being around infants.

"Five sir, I'm gonna be six in two weeks. At least that's what mum said before…" Severus trailed off; unable to continue out of fear they'd think he was a baby. Crying was for the weak his dad had always told him. Unless you break a bone or something, then it's okay. Of course Severus hadn't expected his dad to do just that.

Kingsley found himself somewhat alarmed. The boy was clearly too thin for his tastes, and too small as well. Turning to Poppy he asked her about it in hushed tones; while Minerva knelt down to occupy the boy. Poppy explained the potions regime Severus was to follow, alleviating Kingsley's concerns that Severus would be permanently damaged. Although, she admitted, it was likely that Severus would always be a bit on the small side. But then that was to be expected, given everything he'd gone through. About to ask another question, Kinglsey found himself cut off by the arrival of another healer.

"I have an Augustus Prince waiting outside Madame Pomfrey, he says he's here to collect his grandson". The healer informed her before leaving.

In sync, the three remaining adults turned to the young boy standing before them. It was at this moment, his life would be forever changed. They just prayed it was for the better.

**I got this done way faster than I'd hoped. It helps when I'm writing something I've wanted to read for such a long time. Anyway I hope you've all enjoyed this chapter. I'm gonna try getting the next one up in the next two weeks.**

**As before I'd like another 2 reviews if possible, so let me know what you think. I really value feedback.**

**KB**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks so much for all the follow and favourites, and I'd especially like to thank everyone who reviewed. I asked for two and I got **_**eight**_**! Really wasn't expecting so many to like this. Here's the next chapter.**

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><p>Augustus Prince was a man used to getting what he wanted. He had money, power and most importantly respect from his pureblood peers. Of course he had his family, well what was left of it. His wife had passed many years ago, a raid gone wrong so the ministry had claimed. Although quite frankly Augustus had been reluctant to believe it, after all the ministry certainly wasn't above killing those who wouldn't bow at their feet. His wife had been such a stubborn thing after all, he never could order her to do everything he asked, she'd always had that fire in her. At least on the inside.<p>

His children of course, the two remaining that is, were both well on their way to living their own lives. Married with children of their own, his son in a high paying job and his daughter acting the part of the perfect pureblood wife. Of course this inevitably turned his thoughts to his lost Eileen, and of course the son she left behind. Severus, that was the boy's name, wasn't it? Such a harsh name for such a young child, but still it was such a noble name. A name fit for a Roman emperor.

Augustus found himself snapped from his thoughts at the sound of approaching footsteps.

"Lord Prince? This is your grandson, Severus. Say hello dear". A healer approached him, a small black haired boy trotting along beside her, hand in hand.

"H-hello sir". Severus greeted, careful to maintain eye contact. His mother had once mentioned how her father had hated it when people looked down at the floor while speaking. He considered it an appalling habit and unworthy of a pureblood status. Of course given his father, Severus was only a halfblood, but still he didn't want to risk making his grandfather angry. He'd only seen the man for less than a minute after all.

"My boy". Augustus greeted in response. Loathe as he was to admit it, he was impressed with the manners the boy held. Clearly he'd learned them from his mother. After all it wasn't like her good for nothing husband had anything to do with the boy being raised properly. No that was clearly the mother's job in the household.

The two stood observing each other for several moments, unaware of the silence that had begun to spread. "Um, we still have some forms we need you to sign Lord Prince. Before we can release Severus that is, it's standard procedure". The healer interjected, rather nervous as the man's cool gaze turned to her.

"I see". Those were the only words Augustus cared to speak, he wasn't one to waste words after all. Especially on what was essentially an errand girl standing before him.

With a nervous smile, the healer ushered both man and boy over to the nearby counter to sign the aforementioned forms. While waiting, Severus took the time to observe his grandfather. The man was tall, that was unmistakeable. He was rather thin as well, with silver hair tied into a low ponytail, the traditional style of pureblood males. He used a long ivory cane, though Severus hadn't seen any visible sign of an injury. Like the limp his old neighbour had whenever it rained. Before he was carted off to the old folk's home that is.

His grandfather also wore long emerald robes, trimmed with black. While at first they reminded Severus of his mother's dresses, the few she could afford to keep and not sell, he'd come to realise that what made a man a wizard was that they could wear a robe without looking silly. That was a very important distinction in Severus' mind. After all a muggle who wore robes would be considered quite strange. Why it's likely they'd be carted off to the loony bin.

Severus snapped out of his daze as he felt a hand wrap around his own. Looking up he saw his grandfather speaking briefly with the healer, before gently guiding him out of the door. "Come Severus, it's time we went home". Augustus said, aware that he ought to say something to calm the boy's nerves.

"Yes sir". Severus said obediently. He let his grandfather lead him away, looking back in time to see Poppy, Minerva and Kingsley waving at him from the lobby. With a shy smile he waved back. After all they were ones who saved him; they were the first people he knew he would always be able to trust.

As Severus turned once more he missed Minerva struggling to hold back a sob. The little boy she'd held in her arms leaving her possibly for good. It was more than the woman felt she could bear. Poppy was in a similar state. For while she had seen her share of abused children, having worked as a healer for a number of years, she'd grown rather attached to the little black haired boy now walking out the door.

Kingsley felt similarly affected, although he refused to let it show. In all honesty he worried about the lad; he was so tiny for his age, obviously due to his upbringing. Not to mention the rumours about how the lad's grandfather treated his daughter, it worried him that the boy would be living with such a man. Right now however he had more pressing duties to attend to. Like trying to calm down the two distraught women next to him. Joy.

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><p>Drippy couldn't help but feel excited. For the first time in years there would be a little one in the house again. Just the thought of chasing after an adorable little tyke filled her with glee, it was what she lived for. What could she say, she just adored children. But of course Drippy knew she had to be careful. Not out of fear for what her master might say or even do. No. She feared for how the littlest Prince would react to her. After all the child had been living among muggles, had likely never seen a house elf before. Oh how she hoped he would like her.<p>

She flitted around dusting ornaments as she went. Her and her little helpers had already aired out the littlest Prince's bedroom, changing the sheets and filling it with toys and such from when there had last been children running throughout the house. Of course Lord Prince had placed an order for a whole new wardrobe. It wouldn't be proper for the boy to be running around in those muggle rags they all seemed to wear. Those had been delivered promptly, everything sized to fit a typical five year old boy. Of course everything had been charmed to fit the boy, should he be larger or, as Lord Prince suspected, far smaller than he ought to be. Drippy had personally laid out each garment, carefully ironed and folded to meet her master's high personal standards.

Drippy gave one last look around the room, checking that absolutely everything was in place. It had to be perfect. With a satisfied nod she closed the door, and with a loud pop she apparated to the foyer for her masters' arrival.

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><p>Augustus held his grandson close as he made his way out of the hospital to the awaiting carriage. It was truly a thing of beauty with its gilded edges and ebony panelling, the Prince family logo printed in gold above the carriage doors. Attached were four creatures Severus had never seen before, except perhaps in an old storybook his mother had once owned. They resembled winged horses, with golden fur and cream coloured wings. They reminded Severus of Pegasus, from the story his mother had shared with him. A noble creature of legend, fit only for royalty or those of equal standing. Standing nearby was a man in his late thirties, dressed in uniform with the Prince family logo clearly visible. As the two approached he opened the door for them, assisting his employer into the carriage.<p>

"Get inside boy, I can hardly apparate us both to France, and the healers insisted you were not fit to travel by floo. Not that I would have wanted to anyway. Blasted things are nothing but a nuisance. Well hurry up, get in. We don't have all day now do we". Severus found himself carefully lifted into the carriage by the servant.

"Thank you". Severus said shyly, sitting next to his grandfather who wrapped an arm around him securely.

"Yes thank you Harrison. Take us home if you would". Augustus nodded to the man.

"You're welcome sirs. It looks to be clear skies tonight so we should be there within an hour or so". Harrison commented before leaving to sit at the carriage's front in order to steer the creatures.

Within minutes the two Princes felt the carriage jolt into action, picking up speed. With a slight lurch it soon found itself being lifted into the air, the creatures pulling it through the skies as Harrison clutched their reigns, protected by a multitude of protection charms. It wouldn't do to have the servants freeze after all, then they wouldn't be fit for service.

Severus gaped as he stared out of the window, looking down on the houses below them, illuminated by the lamps that lit the streets. In mere minutes Severus found himself unable to see the houses anymore as the carriage finally broke through the clouds. Augustus allowed a smile to slip through at the pure delight on his grandson's face. Even after what had happened, the boy could still act like the child he was, and so he should. He was only five after all, although you couldn't tell by looking at him.

'No', Augustus mused.

'You really couldn't tell, the boy clearly needed to up his weight. He was far too skinny, not to mention quite a bit shorter than he ought to be'. Augustus frowned, 'with any luck the boy wouldn't be permanently damaged by this. Not physically anyway. Mentally however, well, there was no telling what damage had been caused'. Augustus allowed a sigh to escape, yes I meant allowed. After all purebloods were taught from an early age that any emotions were to be hidden, unless they were displayed in a manner befitting of the person's high station.

"Grandfather?" Severus' voice shyly piped up, having turned from the window to meet his grandfather's gaze.

"Yes?"

"What's your house like?"

How to explain it to a child, Augustus mused. "Well it's not a house like you're thinking, I live in a manor. It's a very, very big house with lots of rooms, a garden that stretches all around, it has stables and a swimming pool and it even has an orchard. When we get there I'm sure you'll enjoy exploring". There that should be simple enough for him to understand, Augustus thought.

"What's an orchard?" Well perhaps not.

"You don't know what an orchard is?" What were they teaching children these days.

"No sir" Severus let his gaze drop to his clasped hands, afraid of what his grandfather would say. Knowledge had always been something he'd tried to obtain, he'd loved reading when they had the money for books. But sitting here in front of his grandfather, Severus felt every bit the five year old he was. A naïve child sat before his social better. He'd never felt quite so stupid as he did now, and he really didn't like feeling like that. Not one bit.

Augustus frowned as the boy seemed to droop right before his eyes. Had he been too harsh? While he certainly held no love for the boy's heritage, it didn't mean he didn't think of the boy as his own flesh and blood. The lad was family no doubt about that, and he certainly hadn't wanted to hurt his feelings. Not after everything he'd been through.

"An orchard is kind of like a forest, with lots of trees everywhere. Except in an orchard the trees are all fruit trees, like apple or pear trees. Understand?" It was the simplest way he could think to explain it to the boy.

Severus tilted his head slightly, thinking, before finally nodding. "Yes sir".

"Good. Never be afraid to ask questions. Knowledge is always important". Augustus advised, startled as the boy dared to lean into his side. Out of a need for comfort or tired from the day's events, Augustus wasn't quite sure of the reason. But honestly, and he couldn't believe he was thinking this, it was kind of nice.

'It was nice to feel needed again' Augustus thought to himself, wrapping his arm around the little boy leaning against him. After all his wife had long passed, his children had grown and he only saw them during their monthly meetings and of course during the holidays. Indeed it had gotten quite lonely living alone in that large empty manor, except for the elves and the staff of course. Secretly Augustus found himself hoping the boy would bring life into his life again, as selfish as that sounded. After all the boy had been through hell just a few short days ago. He needed to feel safe and loved, not used in order to entertain his grandfather. No. Severus deserved better. That, Augustus mused, was the one thing he was certain of.

Augustus was soon jolted from his thoughts as the carriage once again touched down on land. Harrison informed him of their arrival, not that he really needed to, as Augustus coaxed Severus into awareness.

"It's time lad, we're home". Harrison opened the carriage doors, assisting his employer out of the vehicle before carefully lifting Severus down onto the ground.

Blinking sleepily Severus looked around in ill-disguised awe. "It's so big" he breathed. Obviously work needed to be done on helping him disguise his emotions better. It was a lesson every other pureblood grew up learning after all. It didn't mean they were heartless, they were simply more dignified.

"Indeed, shall we go inside? I suspect you'd be happy to see your room and get some well-deserved rest. You can explore the manor tomorrow".

"Okay" Severus replied, too tired to say much else.

The two made their way up the steps and into the foyer. Once inside they were greeted most enthusiastically by Drippy and an assortment of the manor's house elves. Without being asked they immediately sprang into action, divesting the two of their coats and scarves, while Augustus was informed of their success in preparing Severus' room.

Severus watched the elves in curiosity, moving when prompted as they tugged his coat and scarf off. He remembered his mother's stories about growing up with house elves, so he knew he needn't be afraid of them. But his mother hadn't told him just how funny those elves looked. Their ears and noses were long and pointy, so unlike his own. They looked funny, but Severus knew better than to laugh. After all it wasn't very nice to laugh at others for how they looked. He knew he'd feel bad if anyone ever did that to him. Of course, not that he was aware, Severus would not have to experience such a thing in the future.

"Are you hungry Severus?" Augustus asked after dismissing the elves, noticing how his grandson appeared to be lagging behind.

"No sir. I had dinner just before we left the hospital." Severus answered tiredly.

"Then I think it's time we got you into bed. I'm sure you're very tired. Come along now". Augustus waited for the boy to slip his hand into his own outstretched hand, before guiding them both up the stairs.

Thankfully Severus' room was near his own, just down the hall in fact. Augustus opened the door, ushering Severus inside, smiling at the expression of disbelief on the boy's face.

"This is really mine sir?" Severus whispered, too stunned to do anything but gape.

"It is. This is your room from now on. Make sure you keep it tidy now".

"I will sir. Thank you. For everything". Severus turned and wrapped his arms tightly around his grandfather's waist. Giving him a squeeze he then stepped back with a wide smile. His old room was tiny compared to this. This room was like what a king would live in. It was amazing.

Indeed the room was impressive, a crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling, as was the same in almost every other room in the manor. Severus' new clothes had filled a dresser and matching wardrobe, both a chocolate brown with gold edging. An antique rug was placed at the foot of the bed, where off to the side a large antique chest, filled with toys, stood just waiting for the boy to open it. A four poster bed, complete with crimson drapes stood at the far side of the room, end tables on either side. At the opposite end, a large bookcase filled most of the wall, an expensive looking desk stood beside it. But of course what Severus noticed straight away was the roaring fire covered by a metal grating, surrounded by a large marble fireplace. Upon further inspection Severus could see carvings, each depicting both magical and muggle legends. The stories they offered were guaranteed to keep Severus amused for days on end.

Suddenly overcome with emotion, Severus scrubbed his eyes trying to hold back the tears as the day's events caught up with him. Smiling softly at the boy Augustus pulled him close letting the boy gather himself together before leading him to yet another door. "You'll have your own bathroom; we don't want you getting lost in the night now do we? The fireplace has also been charmed for your protection; we don't want you burning yourself. Now I expect you to clean your teeth and wash your face. Then it's off to bed". Augustus informed him, Severus meekly nodding in response.

The bathroom, like the bedroom, was large. A giant tub currently filled with warm water and soapy bubbles filled a corner of the room. At the other end the toilet and sink stood. A cabinet attached to the wall held various shampoos, conditioners and soaps, as well as the mentioned toothbrush and toothpaste.

Drippy knocked on the door, announcing her presence; as Augustus gave the boy one last hug. "I'll see you in the morning Severus. Drippy will be there to wake you up and bring you down to breakfast, alright?"

"Yes sir, good night sir".

"Good, then I shall bid you good night little one". With that Augustus finally left the room, intent on resigning to his own room for the night.

Severus turned to the elf with a nervous smile; he wanted to make a good impression after all. "You best get those clothes off little master, then it's time for your bath". Drippy chirped, struggling to contain her glee at once again having a child to look after.

Severus nodded before tugging the clothing over his head. After a brief moment when his shirt got stuck, he was finally naked and soon found himself being levitated into the warm bath full of bubbles. Severus grinned as he saw the bath toys held in a little basket along the bath's edge. With an encouraging smile from Drippy, he grabbed a nearby toy ducking it in and out of the water as though it were alive. While he was distracted, Drippy gathered the needed shampoo, conditioner and soap. Giving Severus the soap to use, she tilted his head back wetting his hair before carefully massaging the creams into his scalp. She'd noticed how the boy's hair seemed greasy and dull, although she was sure that with a good diet and the right shampoo that little problem would soon be fixed. It was after all a necessity for purebloods to have long, shiny hair that made other's envious. Or at least that's what Drippy had been led to believe.

Soon enough it was time to get out. Drippy wrapped a large fluffy towel around the squirming boy as the bathwater drained away. Handing him his toothbrush she waited for him to clean his teeth while she fetched his pyjamas. Choosing a set of emerald silk pyjamas, Drippy returned to the bathroom. Severus quickly dressed, although he needed help with all the buttons, and then finally it was time for bed. Normally Severus struggled to sleep. With everything that had gone on it was no wonder. This time however, he felt safe. With that in mind, it took only seconds for Severus to fall asleep once his head hit the fluffy pillow.

Assured the boy was asleep; Drippy finished tucking him in before leaving the room for her own bed. Of course should the little master need her, she'd appear in an instant. Still it wouldn't hurt to sleep until that time.

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><p><strong>End of chapter 3. I'm hoping to have Severus' early childhood finished in the next chapter or maybe two. I want to get to him attending school but I don't want to rush into things.<strong>

**Anyway let me know what you all think. **

**KB**


	4. Chapter 4

**Here it is chapter 4. I've had a really good week, well week and a half since I last updated. Anyway I found out I passed my masters and got firsts in two modules which I was ecstatic about. So I decided to spread my joy and give you all a little extra.**

**Hope you like it.**

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><p>Augustus woke with a start, confused as to why he'd awoken before sunrise. It took mere seconds for him to register the wailing of a frightened child, echoing throughout the hallway. It only took another few for a harried house elf to pop in unannounced. "Master, it's the little master. He won't stop screaming, he just won't stop!" The house elf cried in alarm.<p>

"Very well, I'll be there momentarily. Now leave me". Augustus replied, grabbing his nightgown from the foot of the bed and slipping into a pair of awaiting slippers. These old manors did get rather cold at night after all.

He didn't blame the boy, he couldn't really. He was in a strange house, with strange people and even stranger elves. He'd just lost his mother, to his father no less, the very man who'd beat him senseless. He'd been injured, appallingly so for a child so young, and had only just recovered. That was saying something considering how the boy was magical and had been treated with magic as well. In most circumstances his injuries would have taken mere minutes to heal, but years of malnourishment had depleted his magic most severely. In truth it had been a miracle that he'd performed the very trick that started all this mess, simply because he wanted that ball. Instead of growing and learning control, his magic had been forced to help his lungs breathe, his heart pump and his brain to continue to function. Indeed without his magic, it would have been quite likely that Severus may not have survived to even reach the age he was now. Such was the severity of his poverty, where proper nutritional meals were dismissed as luxury.

Augustus entered his grandson's room, the volume and intensity of his wailing never slowing down. He heaved a sigh; of aggravation, tiredness or even fondness for the boy, he didn't know what he felt. It was just too damn early to think. But looking at the sobbing boy, who Drippy was frantically trying to hush and soothe, Augustus finally began to think.

"Come here boy". Augustus reached out to the boy after taking a seat on the bed, only to frown as Severus shied away from him with a whimper.

"Severus?" Another whimper was heard, the wailing finally stopping in favour of terrified sobbing and sniffling.

"Severus? Do you know where you are? Do you remember who I am?" Augustus frowned at the reaction the boy gave, concerned that his mental state had deteriorated throughout the night. Not that the boy could be blamed after all. It was something of a miracle that he'd remained so in control for as long as he had.

"G-g-grandfather. You're my grandfather. M-m-mum, s-s-she told me stories about you. From when she was little". Severus finally responded, stuttering as he struggled to control his breathing, letting the occasional hiccup escape.

"That's right. Good boy. Now come here and tell me what's going through your mind. Tell me what's gotten you so upset. Was it a bad dream, a nightmare?" Augustus once again reached for the boy, who this time allowed himself to be pulled into strong arms, head pressed against his grandfather's chest. Augustus handed the boy a handkerchief, observing to make sure the boy knew how to use it properly. He wouldn't have put it past the boy's father to not even teach him the basics or maintaining good hygiene. Not after seeing the state the boy arrived in; greasy hair, sickly pale, not the look of a pureblood at all.

"Not a dream, it was real. It was dark and really scary. I was scared". It was those few sentences that really struck Augustus, it alerted him to just how young Severus really was. And truthfully, he'd never felt quite so old.

"A memory then?" Augustus asked, for confirmation more than anything. A nod against his chest, accompanied by a faint sniffle and rustling of the handkerchief, was his only answer.

"I'm sorry Severus, I'm very sorry". Augustus sighed, he just didn't know how t handle this situation. After all he was still grieving the loss of his youngest daughter, and now here he was holding her only child. Trying to chase away his fears, but no amount of chasing would ever rid the child of his father. For he, above any other monster or creature, was the one thing this child would now always fear.

"You didn't do anything bad. Don't be sorry. I was the bad one, I did magic when mummy said not to. It's my fault. I didn't mean to. But it's too late…it's my fault. It's all my fault". Severus became quiet. Quite frankly it worried Augustus, positively terrified him in fact. Crying he could handle, even throwing a tantrum. But it was as though the boy had shut down, his eyes turning blank as he closed off from his surroundings.

"It's not your fault. Listen to me Severus, it's not your fault. You're a child, a little boy. You're allowed to make mistakes. Your father is the one who was bad, not you. I never want you to say any of this was your fault. Understand?" Augustus kept his gaze locked with his grandson's. Severus blinked in shock, slowly returning to his senses as his grandfather gave him a hard shake. While his methods could have been considered cruel, it did its job, snapping the boy from his near catatonic state.

"Y-y-yes sir". Severus stuttered once more. His mother had always told him not to tell a lie. But in this case Severus didn't have the strength to tell his grandfather the truth. It was all his fault, he knew it. But now he knew he could never admit it out loud. Otherwise who knows what would happen to him?

Augustus was no fool; he knew a lie when he saw one. He was a master of lying after all; it was practically the pureblood rite of passage. No decent pureblood could survive without manipulating the truth to suit their own needs. "I know a lie when I hear one Severus. It hurts I know, I know you're afraid to tell me the truth. But I have a truth for you too. You cannot be blamed for any of this. Your father made a choice, he could have chosen to accept you but he didn't. He could have chosen to not kill your mother, but he didn't. Your mother made a similar choice. She chose to marry him, to stay with him. She knew he was violent and didn't like magic. She knew and she chose to stay. She was afraid of what I'd do, and she was right to be afraid. I also made a choice. I chose to abandon your mother when she needed her father most. I chose to let her leave and marry a man who didn't love her. I chose to let you grow without meeting you until now. I chose wrong, and so did they. It was our bad choices that hurt you. All you chose was to act like a child should. To try and make yourself happier and play with your father. That wasn't a bad choice". Augustus spoke gently, soothing the boy.

Severus sniffled, wiping his nose once more. He was confused, very confused, and he was also very tired. He was sure it had been his fault, but his grandfather said different. That nice man and those nice ladies said different. They said it wasn't his fault. They all said that. Maybe, just maybe, it wasn't his fault. Severus was too emotional to make sense of it all. He just wanted to sleep once more. But not alone. No. He didn't want to be alone again.

"Come on now, try and get some sleep. We'll talk more in the morning, alright?" Augustus moved to tuck the boy in, only for the boy to reach out desperately.

"Don't leave. Please?" Severus pleaded, tears once again starting to form. He couldn't stand waking up alone once more. He just couldn't.

Augustus heaved a sigh, casting a look at Drippy who stood helplessly at the side, before turning to Severus once more. "Alright lad, I'll sleep with you tonight. But only tonight, I have my own bed to sleep in I'll have you know". Augustus tried his best to appear stern, but the combination of exhaustion and emotional draining meant his efforts were more comical than fearful.

Severus smiled, a true smile this time. "Thank you sir".

"Sleep now lad, and you're welcome".

"I will, and sir? I'm really sorry for waking you. I didn't mean to".

With a flick of the wrist the lights extinguished, a gentle snoring filled the air as Augustus lay next to his grandson. The boy curled into his side. "I know you didn't lad, I know".

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><p>Have you ever woken up to birds chirping, light streaming through your windows and the noise of a household stirring from their beds? I'm sure you have, just as I'm sure you'll agree with just how hideously horrific this can be when you have not had an adequate amount of sleep. Those who agree will be able to sympathise with the eldest and youngest Princes.<p>

After Severus' little episode both Augustus and Severus fell fast asleep, huddled together. One needing warmth, he wasn't getting any younger after all, and the other raving comfort, something that had been all too lacking in his short life. Unfortunately that sleep did not nearly last long enough, thanks to an annoyingly chirpy house elf who felt the need to coax the two from their slumber. Of course Drippy would never have been quite so stupid, she knew better after all, but the same couldn't be said for one of the newer elves. Long story short he was gone almost as soon as he'd arrived, a fair bit more singed than he ought to have been. But that's what happened when you woke your master in such a manner. The sheer nerve, he was lucky that was all that had been done to him. It was after all far too early to think of a more creative punishment.

Augustus let out a tired groan, freezing as he felt a small figure squirm next to him, only relaxing once his mind cleared enough to recall the previous nights' events. With a sigh he turned to observe his grandson. The boy's hair was splayed over his pillow, inky locks contrasting brilliantly against the white silk pillows. In the back of his mind Augustus thanked Merlin for small mercies that the boy hadn't had any little accidents. That was the one thing he just wouldn't have been able to handle. Not when it was daft o'clock in the morning anyhow. He watched the rise and fall of his grandson's chest with a keen eye, although free of bandages he wanted to be sure the boy had no lasting injuries from the beating he'd endured. To his satisfaction the breaths were steady, the rise and fall maintaining a steady pace, no hitches of his breath to suggest any problems. Augustus' thoughts soon turned dark. The boy showed no problems with his breathing, that was true, but the damage had already been done, even before the beating. The boy was already too small, too fragile and what most worried Augustus was whether the boy's fertility would be affected.

As a descendant of the noble Prince line, the boy came from a long line of male bearers. It had begun as a curse, or what was supposed to be a curse anyhow. A common kitchen maid had gotten it into her head that the Prince's eldest son would marry her. She'd pictured it all, right down to the finest detail, from the time they met at a royal ball, with the help of the girl's godmother, to when she would purposely leave behind a treasured object which he would return to her. It was all planned out in the girl's mind. However the girl hadn't planned for the Prince to share no interest in her, nor in anyone of the female race for that matter. In fact he'd chosen another man, of noble status of course. After all he had several siblings all capable of producing blood heirs. In a jealous fit the girl broke into his home, intent on casting a love spell that would get her the happy ending she thought she deserved. After all who on earth wanted to spend their life washing dishes and scrubbing floors? It was beneath her and her obvious beauty. Of course she hadn't expected to find the two men, for lack of a better word, fucking each other's brains out. If there was one thing she'd learned, aside from never walking into a bedroom without knocking, was that trying to cast a love spell when your love was balls deep inside their future husband, was most difficult. Particularly when she was so overcome with rage and jealousy she found herself mangling the words beyond comprehension. Now clearly the girl was arrested, tried and ultimately locked away for her own protection. She was after all highly unstable. The curse however, while nothing had shrivelled and dropped off, something both men had feared, it left them on edge wondering what, if any, effect it would have on them. Of course, upon marrying in a private ceremony the two soon forgot their concerns. They had better things to think about after all, like how many orgasms the two could draw from each other.

Nine months later however, the Prince heir found himself crying out for another reason entirely. Within hours his first child was born, a son, sharing his black hair and his sire's brilliant green eyes. Initially upon learning of the pregnancy the two men had been shocked, mildly disgusted and resentful to the wench who'd dared intrude on their lives. However after learning of several new erogenous zones the Prince heir suddenly found himself with, the two were no longer complaining. One child became two, then three and then four, until a total of eight children, six boys and two girls, were produced. After all contraceptives were banned by royal decree, children were a thing to be celebrated and fertility was seen as a symbol of power. The more fertile a man, the more stamina they held and stamina was always valued highly. Besides, the Prince had always wanted a large family, and his husband had always wanted to get laid, so everyone was happy. This did however bring about a new problem, as for every son that had been birthed from the Prince heir, they all shared the ability to birth new life. First discovered by the third son, who ended up pregnant at seventeen by his long-time lover, the youngest prince of the royal family, it soon became a popular topic for discussion. Of course both boys had been made to wed before the birth, it wouldn't do for them to produce bastards after all. And like his father, the boy continued the tradition, birthing child after child much to the delight and arousal of his new husband. It turned out his new husband had a rather intense pregnancy kink, and had resigned himself to spying on his father's concubines to quell his lust. Now however he had free reign to impregnate his husband as much as he wanted, and as long as his husband continued to spread his legs for him, the children would keep on coming and the belly would forever stay swollen.

This pattern repeated itself through the generations, with those of the Prince line being warned from an early age that they'd be capable of birthing a child if needed. Of course with the combination of teenage hormones, new holes to explore and new heights of pleasure to reach, it took a long time for the lesson to truly hit home, with the Prince line producing one of the highest teenage pregnancy rates of any family. Not that many of them complained, and certainly those of other families had no complaints. After all with so many wars destroying the lives of young and old alike, it was important to start a family as soon as possible. And the Prince family was renowned for producing very attractive, very intelligent and above all highly fertile children. However as the wizarding world began to modernise, the Prince family began to insist on a regime of contraceptive spells and potions until the child was seventeen. The age they legally became adults. That way they had a chance to enjoy childhood, a chance to enjoy sex without consequences, before the realities of adult life were forced upon them. It was after all important for children to be allowed to be children, particularly during times when wars raged and death was as much a comfort as it was a tragedy. It was after all a struggle to perform highly with swollen ankles, a large swollen belly and constant mood swings making it difficult to concentrate for any length of time. It had also become rather disruptive whenever a boy went into labour during an exam.

Augustus recalled hearing one such tale, where the son of a Malfoy and a Prince had purposely gotten pregnant to get his friends out of their fifth year OWLs. There'd been a betting pool and everything, on what time and in which exam his waters would break. Needless to say his parents, nor his teachers, were too impressed. Of course like all those before him, he'd followed the tradition of spending much of his married life swollen with child. He'd just happened to enter this tradition earlier than most, something he'd later come to regret once he missed out on the parties that came following their exams. Most notably he missed out on getting wasted with his mates, being pregnant meant no one would permit him to even sit near those with alcohol in their hands, lest he get any ideas. It had not been a fun time that was for sure.

Augustus shook his head of the thoughts that plagued him. Of course he'd married a woman as was his preference, he'd never felt the urge to lie with a man. His grandfather however had been one such bearer, birthing his first child shortly after finishing his schooling, and producing a respectable four more, two girls and three boys in total. While his grandson was only five, still by all counts an innocent child, he couldn't shake the feeling that Severus would be the one to continue the tradition. He wasn't sure why and he couldn't even begin to imagine who with, but still the thought plagued him. Of course unless changes were made, unless the boy gained weight and improved his nutrition drastically, it would be very likely that he'd never be fit to bear. And that would make it very difficult when it came time to showing him off to prospective pureblood matches. Nothing but the best for the noble line of Prince after all.

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><p>When Severus awoke his thoughts weren't nearly as complicated as his grandfather's. While Augustus planned his future, from his husband or wife to the many children they'd bear, Severus' thoughts were decidedly more childish. Most notably he was hungry, still sleepy, and he wanted to know where the toilet was rather badly.<p>

Squirming from under the covers Severus turned to his grandfather who was now watching him with a strange expression on his face.

"Grandfather? I have to go to the toilet". At those words Augustus moved faster than he suspected he ever had in his life. Before Severus even had time to start the universal dance all children followed when they had to go, he found himself whisked into the adjoining bathroom, hoisted onto the seat and handed a roll of paper to use once he'd finished. Blinking, Severus only just remembered his manners "thank you grandfather, sir".

Augustus didn't have the energy to correct him. Though he'd certainly worked up an appetite for breakfast. There was a reason they called it the most important meal of the day, something Augustus took to heart. A minute later he heard the toilet flush and the sink run, before Severus once again reappeared.

"Drippy!" Augustus called, seconds later the elf appeared with her usual morning cheer. "Return Severus to his room and help him get dressed for breakfast. Make sure he's presentable. That will be all". Drippy nodded in response, ushering Severus from the room with a smile and allowing her master to wash and dress.

Severus followed Drippy, although he'd failed to keep up with her constant chattering. It was like she never stopped, always going on about the fresh air, how lucky he was to live here, how much she loved children…it was never ending. Thankfully though she allowed him to dress in relative silence; a green silk shirt and smart black trousers. A fine cashmere sweater was pulled on over top, much to Severus' disgruntlement. It may have only been breakfast, but as Drippy reminded him constantly, he was expected to look like a proper pureblood heir. It was something he was really starting to dislike. Of course such feelings didn't last long; it made him think about what happened for him to end up here. How lucky he was that he hadn't been sent to an orphanage like Oliver Twist, how lucky he was for having such a grand room, his own bathroom and even a house elf to look after him. It made Severus sad and angry at himself, yes his sweater felt uncomfortable, having grown up wearing ratty jeans and threadbare shirts, but he had a new life now. A richer one. He had his grandfather, and he would finally be able to become a wizard like he'd always hoped. Even if the sweater did itch, Severus would be good and behave. He didn't want to give his grandfather any reason to send him back after all. He had to keep reminding himself how lucky he was.

"There now. You look like a proper little Prince, little master". Severus couldn't stop the flush that appeared, bringing colour to his cheeks. Never before had he worn such fine clothes, nor slept in such a fine bed. No for that matter had he ever seen such a fine house, except in storybooks that is, when he could find them at least.

"Now hurry, we mustn't be late for breakfast. Don't want to upset the master. Quickly now, follow me". Drippy led Severus downstairs into the private dining area. As oppose to the main dining room, reserved primarily for parties, banquets and soirees, the private dining area was used just by the family. It was smaller, although no less lavish, to give it a cosier feel. The Prince family did after all place high importance on maintaining good family values. Or at the very least maintaining that illusion.

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><p>Breakfast in the Prince household was always a lavish affair. Ordinarily the table was filled with fresh crusty rolls and an assortment of jams and butters, a small basket filled with both hard and soft boiled eggs, platters of fried and scrambled eggs, sausage, and crisp bacon and bowls filled with grilled mushrooms, tomatoes and homemade baked beans. Jugs of both cold and warm milk, a pot of strong English tea and jugs of fresh orange, pear and apple juices decorated the centre of the table. Of course this was the standard fare for every morning, except Sunday of course, the day devoted to being lazy. Now Sundays were special, with smoked salmon, eggs benedict and an assortment of sweet and savoury pastries. That was in addition to the usual breakfast feast mind you.<p>

Of course Augustus refused to indulge as such more than once a week, he took pride in his appearance and refused to allow himself to grow fat and lazy. Not like so many of his business partners. The state they'd let themselves become was downright shameful at times. With bulging stomachs hanging over their trousers, or in some particularly bad cases bulging through their tightly laced girdles. Double and even triple chins were an all too common sight as well, with a thick layer of fat surrounding the necks of the old, yet incredibly rich, codgers. Of course those men were always ones to overindulge, drinking from sunup to sundown, eating hearty meals and extravagant puddings with every meal, it was little wonder they all ended up looking live overstuffed pigs dressed in suits and ties.

No, Augustus was adamant that he would not become one of them, no matter how much respect he may have for them as friends and business partners, he couldn't forgive their obvious disregard for their health and most importantly their appearance. Augustus was particularly adamant that his grandson would share his values. He wouldn't be allowing the boy to stuff himself with sweets and treats. No he'd be eating good nutritious meals, no junk. Of course Augustus was willing to be lenient on the more special days; the boy's upcoming birthday and on Christmas, those were special enough to allow the boy the odd treat.

Augustus was pulled from his thoughts with the arrival of his grandson, finally dressed as he should be much to Augustus' relief. Having seen the clothes the boy had arrived in, he had yet to dissuade himself from burning the clothes at wand point. Just to be sure they'd never be there to offend his sensibilities again.

"Good morning Severus, take your seat now".

Severus returned the greeting shyly, scrambling to take his seat, feeling the chair levitate slightly in order to bring him closer to the table. With wide eyes he looked down following the chair's movements with his hands. Augustus frowned at the reaction before his own eyes widened in comprehension. The boy likely had never been exposed to such magic in his previous life. Not with that brute of a muggle living there anyhow. Levitating a ball was one thing, but levitating a heavy chair with a five year old boy sitting on it was another thing entirely.

"You'll be seeing plenty of magic from now on Severus. I guarantee you'll soon become used to it". Augustus commented, earning a wide eyed stare from the boy seated opposite him.

"Really? You mean it?" Severus asked, leaning over in anticipation.

"Of course, and when you turn eleven you'll be able to cast your own with your own wand. You'll be attending one of the finest wizarding schools with some of the finest pureblood children around. I can assure you you'll be very happy there." Augustus replied, smiling at the boy's childish wonder and enthusiasm.

"Grandfather? What school is it?" Severus asked, unable to contain his curiosity. He was still a child after all.

"It's called Beauxbatons, it's a wizarding academy where only the finest of society attend. You'll meet students from not only France, but Spain, Belgium and even the Netherlands. I'm sure you'll make many good friends my boy, you are after all a Prince, and we Princes are always well regarded by our peers".

Severus frowned in confusion before shaking his head. Grownups said such strange things sometimes, but he knew better than to say such a thing out loud. He had some manners after all, not as many as he should due to his upbringing, but they were still there.

"Now let's eat. I'm sure you must be hungry lad. Whatever you want just say its name and it'll appear on your plate. I'd rather we kept any messes to the absolute minimum. Understand?"

"Yes grandfather". The next few moments were a source of amusement for young Severus as with each word he said, breakfast items suddenly appeared on his plate. Soon enough he had a small pile of breakfast items, a crusty roll smeared with jam and butter, a piece each of sausage and bacon, a small portion of scrambled eggs and a large serving of mushrooms and tomatoes. His grandfather insisted. It wouldn't do to let the boy fill up on grease and fat after all. He was trying to teach the lad to eat healthily, and he refused to let the boy subject himself to a childhood and teenage years filled with spotty, greasy skin and a flabby belly. No, the boy needed to learn how to maintain a good appearance now, while he was young enough that it would become second nature. And of course the best way to do so was to fill the boy's plate with vegetables. No greasy, sallow skin that's for sure. Augustus refused to even entertain the thought.

"Grandfather?"

"Hmm?" Augustus looked up from his cup of tea, he may live in France but he'd been born an Englishman. And no one did tea like the English.

"Those people who took me from my home. Will I get to see them again?" Severus asked, the question had plagued his mind since last night. They were after all the ones to save him, he wanted to thank them properly.

"Would you like to?"

"Very much so. I want to thank them, I never got a chance to. Not properly, sir". Severus added the last bit in afterthought. If he wanted something he knew he had to be very respectful. At least that's what his dad had always told him, right before he'd gone off the rails. Perhaps not the best role model, but you couldn't argue with his advice for matters like these.

"I'll see what can be done. Are you finished?" Augustus was eager to change the subject. He knew very well who'd rescued his grandson and while he was grateful, he was also well aware they were strongly affiliated with Hogwarts. Augustus had never liked that Dumbledore, the man was too manipulative even by his standards. He certainly wouldn't be having his grandson attending there, who knows what would happen?

"Yes I'm done sir".

"Good. I have matters to attend to in my study, so I'll allow Drippy to give you the grand tour. You may explore anywhere you like, barring my quarters and study. Drippy will inform you where they are in case of emergencies but otherwise I'm to be left alone. She'll also inform you when lunch will be served so make sure you get cleaned beforehand. I ant have mucky hands at the dining table, understand?"

"I understand sir". Severus responded, eager to leave and explore his new home. After all he didn't really get a chance to last night, and he really wanted to try and find those horses again.

"Good, now off you go". Augustus only just finished his words when Severus ran out without a backwards glance, Drippy following hastily after the surprisingly energetic boy.

Augustus smiled, comforted by the knowledge that no one was around to see it, he had a reputation to keep after all. With a sigh he rose and headed towards his study, he had three very special people to write to after all. On Severus' behalf of course. He'd be sure to stress that no matter how grateful he was to them, he couldn't let himself show it. It just wasn't proper pureblood behaviour after all. Besides, he was sure they'd be eager to see the boy. He did have that rather curious effect of making you want to give him a cuddle and a kiss on his forehead. Not that he'd let himself indulge. Well, maybe if the boy asked. He was after all a mere child, Augustus could forgive his own actions if it was to comfort an abused child. It was after all considered acceptable according to the pureblood ways.

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><p><strong>Seeing as this is over 5000 words I'm gonna stop there. I'm aiming to finish Severus' childhood by the next chapter, although the rate I'm going it may be another two but I'm gonna do my best to stick to one.<strong>

**Anyway I'd love to know what everyone thinks. Your response has been amazing so far so I hope you continue to enjoy this. Thanks for reading.**

**KB**


	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks everyone for all your amazing support. I keep getting blown away by how much everyone seems to like this story. I hope you all continue to read and review. **

**Enjoy!**

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><p>Drippy had always loved children, having worked for the Prince family for the past thirty years. Not long by wizarding standards considering house elves typically lived for a few hundred years. After all they existed to serve their masters', it only made sense that they would live as long as them. But given that the masters' children had left long ago, Drippy could admit she was a little out of practice. As such, she'd forgotten just how energetic and curious little boys could be, regardless of their upbringing. And Severus it seemed was particularly curious.<p>

In the span of three hours they'd explored the manor, from the basement all the way to the attic. Severus had particularly enjoyed the brief glimpse into the library Drippy allowed him, there was much to see after all. Under her careful watch of course and avoiding the rooms Augustus had deemed off limits, though she had informed the boy where they were should there be an emergency. Next was the indoor heated pool, which inevitably led to exploring the outside pool. The classic example of someone with too much money on their hands. Following that, Drippy showed Severus the gardens; from the fountain in the courtyard through to the secret glade in which the garden's maze resided. Finally a visit through the family's orchard and up to the manor's stables concluded the tour. It was therefore understandable that by the end, the two were thoroughly exhausted, having explored just about every inch of the manor's grounds. Well as far as the boy was permitted to explore at least.

Eventually Drippy coaxed Severus into returning indoors. Much to his distaste he was told to change, his clothes had gotten dirty after all. Once he was once again clean, face freshly washed and hands scrubbed, he was brought down once again to the dining room for lunch. His grandfather sat at the head of the table, but much to his surprise three figures were sat at his sides, barring one seat which had clearly been left for Severus to sit.

Severus frowned slightly, not recognising the three, before taking his seat as his grandfather beckoned him closer. "Sit Severus, there are some people I wish for you to meet".

Severus nodded shyly, barely paying attention as the chair brought him closer to the table. Looking up he found himself the focus of the room's attention, as two men and a young woman smiled down at him. "Who are they?" Severus asked rather bluntly, though his eyes widened at his own courage before he flushed in embarrassment at his poor manners.

Augustus smiled; clearly the boy had much to be distracted about and so he could forgive the lad for his lapse in manners. He knew the boy had manners, but he'd only been there a day and had yet to start his lessons. As such he could hardly expect Severus to be perfectly behaved. He hadn't had the opportunity to learn how to act after all. Although that was about to change.

"This is my son Sebastian and my daughter Evelyn. I asked them here so they could meet their sister's only child. They will be your uncle and aunt respectively." At this Severus offered a timid smile, still embarrassed about how he'd acted initially. He'd just been so excited about his day, so looking forward to telling his grandfather about everything he'd seen, that he hadn't liked it when he saw those strangers sitting at the table. He'd never had a grandfather before; he just wanted it to be only him and his grandfather just a little longer.

"And this is monsieur Gerard. He has agreed to serve as your main tutor until you are old enough to attend school. He will teach you the usual arithmetic, English language, literature and world history. You will also be given horseback riding and swimming lessons, it would be unheard of for you to be without. Of course you'll be learning French since we currently reside in France and in a few years you shall be taught Latin as well. When you're older you'll also be learning about business and politics. It's essential that you are prepared for your future career, whatever you may become. Of course before you attend school you'll also be taught about magical theory, and should you behave properly I'll have you assist me in potion's preparation. As you cannot use magic outside of school, I will ensure you are well prepared in terms of its theory. Understand?"

Severus felt a little dazed, there was so much for him to learn, and already his grandfather was talking about his future. It was a little overwhelming in all honesty. "Yes grandfather, I understand". It was all he could think to say in response.

"Good lad". Augustus smiled as he felt the gazes of his children resting on him in astonishment. The man had never been what they'd call warm and friendly. Not to say he was a monster, not at all, but he was strict and rather stubborn. Even when addressing children he was usually strict and unrelenting. Though looking at him now, it was clear he'd changed.

Evelyn smiled at the little boy as they waited for the introductions to end, and lunch to begin. When she'd first heard about the death of her little sister, she'd naturally been distraught. Society dictated she acted as such after all. In truth she'd harboured some resentment to her sister for simply abandoning her family, throwing aside her responsibilities in order to shack up with an unsavoury muggle. She had after all been there the day the two had met and she hadn't liked him from the start. Why he'd had the nerve to attempt to look down her dress, before leaving to go after her sister after she chewed him out. The man had been a drunkard, a perverted drunkard at that and she'd felt shame on her sister's behalf for falling in with the likes of him.

Of course she'd heard about their son, everyone had by now, it wasn't something that people would just forget. His birth had been a prime scandal for months. But the poor boy, only five and his mother was dead, his father soon to be dead himself if her father got his way. He was the innocent one in all this, and such a sweet boy at that. Oh sure he hadn't displayed the perfect manners, but he was a child, that was to be expected. He was the only thing tying her to her sister, and she vowed then and there to help him as much as she could. The lad had no mother left to care for him after all, and she'd not only do her duty as society expected, she'd do it out of her own desire to help the boy.

Nearby Sebastian shared his sister's thoughts. He too had been watching the boy as his father went on listing the boy's lesson plan. The boy reminded him so much of his dead sister, the features were startlingly similar. The boy would grow to be a looker that was for sure; of course he'd need to put on a good bit of weight. The lad was all skin and bones, although the fine fabrics he wore did well to disguise it. But with a few good meals he was sure the boy would look much better. He was a Prince after all.

With a near silent sigh, Sebastian recalled the last memory he had of his late sister, the night she'd left. The fight had been horrendous that's for sure. Looking back he was sure he could see that she'd already begun to show, the boy seated before him now was a mere few weeks in development back then. He recalled his sister storming out in tears, her hand clutched to her chest leaving their father to his grief. Of course he wasn't naïve enough to think his grandfather had been the one at fault, unlike those with nothing better to do than gossip. No, the fault lay with Eileen, as much as it pained him to admit. The girl had always been foolish, thinking she could do what she wanted without consequence. It had hardly been the first time she'd been in trouble, though it had certainly been the worst. But still Sebastian couldn't help but feel sorry for his nephew. The boy hadn't asked to be born to such parents, and look what had happened. He was only thankful the lad had been rescued.

Of course his father had confided in him, though his sister had remained oblivious. Wouldn't do to upset her even more. He knew what had happened to Severus, how he'd been beaten and rescued. At that thought, he reminded himself to contact those that had saved him. Who knows what would have happened to him had they not arrived when they did. It didn't bear thinking about.

"Now I believe it's time to eat, if you'll all help yourselves". Augustus motioned to the plates of food littering the table.

With a nod his children did as requested, having grown up in his household they knew that a request was almost always an order cleverly disguised. Monsieur Gerard followed suit, piling his plate with the mix of French and English delicacies. Within moments the five were tucking into lunch, plates piled with a mix of cold meats and cheeses, roast chicken, turkey and pork, freshly baked rolls and baguettes, crisp salads and potatoes prepared every way possible. Roast, fried, mashed, boiled, baked and being English, of course there were piles of chips to tuck into. Like with breakfast, Severus was given an assortment of goods with plenty of vegetables. In addition he was made to drink a nutrition potion just before he was permitted to eat. Something he was thankful for given the bitter taste of the potion.

Once both lunch and pudding was eaten and plates cleared away, the adults moved into the lounge to converse. Of course Severus was made to follow, not that he had many complaints. In truth he was tired from his explorations of the manor and its surrounding lands. He hadn't even had a proper chance to explore them, merely passing through in their haste to finish the tour before lunch. Severus knew he'd later return to exploring, but for now he was content with playing with the wooden blocks his uncle had conjured, the adults conversing around him.

* * *

><p>"Minerva? Are you in here?" Minerva paused in her writing, standing to welcome her long-time friend.<p>

"I'm just finishing these letters. Did you need something Poppy?" Poppy Pomfrey entered the room with a smile. A letter was clutched in her grasp as she took a seat in the armchair nearest her friend.

"Tell me, did you receive a letter earlier today? From Lord Prince?" Poppy asked eagerly, unable to stop smiling although she did her best to tone it down.

"Lord Prince? Well it's possible, but I haven't had a chance to read any of my mail yet. I've been busy with the students' letters. What does he want?" Minerva asked, unable to stop the memory of a scared little boy clutching onto her.

"He has invited me to stay with him and Severus for the weekend. I only received the letter this morning; he wanted to thank me personally for helping to rescue Severus. I contacted Kingsley earlier and he'd been given a similar letter. I've already accepted the invitation; I wanted to see if you'd been invited as well?" Poppy explained, showing Minerva the letter she carried in her hand.

Minerva read through the letter with speed, frowning slightly as she moved to flick through the mail she'd received that morning. Within a minute she'd located what she'd been looking for, ripping the envelope and reading the letter's contents. Like with Poppy's, the letter invited her to the manor, expressing gratitude for her role in the rescue and informing her Severus would like to see her once again. Upon hearing that Severus was asking for her, Minerva felt herself overcome with emotion for just a moment.

The last she'd seen of the boy he'd been so scared. Ripped from his normal life, his mother dead and his father apprehended, and sent to France to live with a man he'd never met. Oh how she'd worried about the boy. It had been almost a month since she'd last seen him; she wondered how he'd been getting on. Oh she had so many questions to ask, but of course she'd have to wait before she could ask them.

"I'll be there, absolutely. Yes I will". Minerva responded, going to do just that as she snagged a piece of parchment and called her owl over to make the delivery.

"I'm so glad to hear that. Oh I hope the poor dear's doing alright. Can you remember how scared he was when we found him? Oh I hope Lord Prince has been treating him well. I know he's invited us, but still I just don't know what to expect." Poppy sighed, trailing off as she reminisced.

"I'm sure he's much happier. I highly doubt Lord Prince would cause him harm, especially not when he's invited us to visit. Oh but I'll have to inform Albus I'll be unavailable this weekend. It shouldn't be a problem, but you know what he can be like." Poppy nodded in agreement. It was true Albus Dumbledore could be quite stubborn when he set his mind to something. Of course school wasn't due to start for another two weeks, so it was unlikely her absence would be missed too much. Still better to be safe than sorry.

* * *

><p>"Severus? Come here please". Augustus requested, watching as his grandson pushed himself from the rug in front of the fireplace and moving to stand in front of him.<p>

"Yes grandfather?" Severus blinked sleepily. He'd had a long day and the fire had only made him feel sleepier.

"Those three adults that took you to hospital, do you remember them?" Severus blinked once more, his mind becoming slightly more alert.

"Yes sir".

"Good. Then you should be pleased to know they will be staying with us this weekend. They've expressed a wish to see you and I have decided to let them stay overnight. I'll expect you to be on your best behaviour of course but…" Augustus found himself unable to speak as Severus had jumped into his lap, wrapping his small arms around his grandfather's neck. The only problem was the child was hugging him a little too tightly.

Gently removing the arms from his windpipe, Augustus couldn't help but smile as Severus gushed out his thanks. He was reminded of just how young the lad was, how he looked even younger. Most of all he was just happy Severus felt comfortable enough to touch him without fear. He'd had a great number of children afraid to come near him, though he himself did little to assuage their fears. It amused him too much to see them shy away. But not his Severus, and he did consider Severus as his, he didn't want him to be afraid of him. No, he'd had enough to be afraid of already, he certainly didn't need anything else to fear.

"Thank you sir". Severus mumbled with his face buried into his grandfather's neck.

"You're welcome child". There was no one around to see them, his children and Severus' new tutor had all returned home. So Augustus allowed himself to hug the boy back, there was no one to judge him. No one to mock his weakness. There was only him and Severus and for the first time in a long time, Augustus was once again happy.

* * *

><p>"You know I'm not sure this place is pretentious enough more my liking. It's lacking the herds of wild unicorns running around". Kingsley remarked sarcastically.<p>

"Oh hush you. It's a beautiful building if a bit excessive". Minerva scolded, although she couldn't deny the grounds seemed a bit much.

"Only a bit? Did you not see the orchard? Or the pool? Not to mention the stables? The man's bloody ancient for crying out loud, what possible use could he have for stables? Are we to believe he still goes horseback riding at his age?" Kingsley added incredulously. He hadn't felt right giving to boy to Lord Prince, and all this finery and splendour was doing little to reassure him. Sure the boy would have everything in terms of money and possessions. But what about love? He'd seen far too many cases of young pureblood children being left to their nannies, never seeing their parents unless they were to be punished. In most cases those children wound up spoiled pretentious brats, believing the rules never applied to them. What's worse was that those children would grow up believing nothing could touch them, have children of their own and inevitably continue the tradition. While Kingsley was still young, only in his mid-twenties, he'd still seen enough to know that living the pureblood lifestyle usually only ended in misery.

"Oh honestly, I'm sure everything will be fine. Do you really think living in such a grand home will hurt the child?" Minerva scoffed, Poppy remaining suspiciously silent.

"Perhaps not physically Minerva. But I have seen many cases of children in such homes becoming absolute terrors when they got older. Too much of a good thing can end up becoming a very bad thing. But I suppose we'll have to wait to see little Severus before we can judge for ourselves". Poppy intervened, causing the two to turn to her in slight bemusement. Shaking her head, she merely shrunk the broom she'd been riding before making her way to the manor's gates. The wards prevented them from landing on the property meaning they had to arrive the old fashioned way. And apparating to another country, particularly one they hadn't visited before, was just asking for them to get splinched.

Just outside the gates a carriage, much like the one Severus had first been brought in, stood to take the three up to the gates. While the grounds were extensive making it a long walk up to the entrance, Augustus had wanted a chance to demonstrate his wealth, and by extension his ability to support his grandson financially, to the three. Although the three were reluctant to arrive in a horse drawn carriage, it did allow them time to observe the grounds. And within a few minutes, the three stepped out to be greeted by Lord Prince and his newly acquired grandson.

"Good afternoon. I'd like to formally welcome you to my home. We're very happy you could come". Augustus started, only for Severus to race down the steps, crashing into the nearest of the three in order to wrap his small arms around their waist.

Poppy smiled down at the boy, wrapping her own arms around him in order to pull him up into her arms. "Hello dear, my you've certainly changed since I saw you last". It was true, the last she'd seen him he'd been in tears, although valiantly trying to fend them off. Clearly he'd taken the words 'be a big boy' and 'big boys don't cry' to heart. Now however he was smiling and he'd clearly gained a little weight. He was certainly better dressed, the term from rags to riches certainly applied. And as she looked closer, she could see his greasy mop of hair had been thoroughly cleaned. Privately she was relieved; the boy did not need people finding something about him to mock. He'd been through quite enough already. With one last squeeze she set carried him inside, following the other three as they entered the lounge where tea and cakes awaited them.

Say what you wanted about Augustus Snape; he was mean, cold, and constantly grumpy, however you wanted to describe him. When it came down to it, he was truly an Englishman at heart, and he had the proper tea and beautiful cakes to prove it. A proper English afternoon tea and Poppy did so love her tea. Poppy set Severus down before taking her seat and eying a particularly lavish cake decorated with chocolate, berries and freshly whipped cream with barely disguised greed.

Severus moved to scramble into Minerva's lap, with Kingsley looking on in a mix of apprehension and relief that the boy was still breathing with all his limbs intact. It was heard to ignore the rumours floating around the office at times, and the ones about Lord Prince ranged from the terrifying to the outright bizarre. But seeing young Severus finally smiling, dressed in fine clothes and clearly having gained both height and weight from the last time he'd seen the boy, Kingsley felt slightly mollified. Not fully mind you, but it was a start at least.

Minerva pet the boy's hair, feeling him noticeably relax as she turned to pay attention to Lord Prince. A cup of tea was placed on the table in front of her by a house elf, to which she gave a polite nod. The offered cake gained a noticeably more enthusiastic response, from both Minerva and Severus who was eying the treats with childish desire.

Severus frowned slightly as the adults conversed around him. His cake had already been eaten, his juice long gone and he was getting increasingly bored. But he stayed as still as he could manage, after all you could hardly expect a five year old boy to sit perfectly still for longer than a few minutes. Why it practically went against their very nature. But still Severus was frightfully bored; he knew he wasn't permitted to leave just yet, something his grandfather had told him prior to their guests' arrival. No, they'd come to see Severus and that meant he had to stay so they could see him. So as bored as he was, he had to suck it up. It was the price he had to pay if he wanted to stay here. And he truly did want to stay. His grandfather was awful grumpy at times, but still he knew he loved him. And he loved him in return. After all the man was his mother's father and he had so many stories to share about her. His mother may have died, but his grandfather made him feel close to her. Closer than they'd been even while she was alive. And besides, he couldn't leave now. He and Drippy had started work on a fort in the orchard. If he left now, if they took him away, he'd never get to play in it. And that just didn't sit right with Severus.

"Well I must admit I am very impressed by what I've seen Lord Prince. I must confess I was concerned about how Severus would be when we first arrived, but I can see this place has only done good things for him. The change in him is almost miraculous, why I barely recognised him. I must say you've done a fine job of raising him". Poppy admitted as both Minerva and Kingsley followed her with similar positive remarks.

Augustus gave a polite smile, a real smile struggling to break the surface. But he couldn't risk letting his emotions get the better of him. Not yet, not now. It would be unseemly. Truthfully he'd been very worried about this meeting. While it had been a number of weeks since Severus had first come to live with him, he'd been worried about what these adults would think. Oh sure the boy dressed better and his schooling was going very well, it seemed the boy had an aptitude for learning, and particularly enjoyed helping him prepare some of his less volatile potions. After all what little boy didn't love playing around with worms and all sorts of slimy things. And of course the boy had put on weight, not to mention the increase in height which he'd so desperately needed. It made the boy look much better, less of a walking skeleton and more of an actual human child. Albeit a rather skinny child. And clearly the lad was much happier now, but quite frankly he could only compare it to when he first laid eyes on the boy. Considering the boy's mother had just died, murdered at his father's hands, the lad was understandably upset. So it wouldn't take much to say he'd improved. Although there was still the odd nightmare to deal with, but they managed well enough.

But still, Augustus had feared that despite all the progress that had been made, he feared these three would still find fault. He was well aware of his reputation, in some cases he actively encouraged it, it was after all a fine sense of amusement for him. But he feared that by doing so, he'd risked jeopardising what could very well be the best thing that had ever happened to him. At least within the last decade or so. But it seemed his fears were unfounded, the three had confessed they felt he had done an excellent job raising the boy. And for the first time in the last three weeks, Augustus finally allowed himself to relax.

Of course when Augustus informed them Severus would not be attending Hogwarts, Minerva was understandably quite upset. And hell hath no fury like a Scottish woman scorned. But on the plus side he had the other two to help hold her back long enough to explain his reasoning. Not even she, with her school pride and all, could claim to be blind to the favouritism shown towards the Gryffindors. Nor could she claim to be ignorant of how the Slytherins were treated, the fights between the Gryffindors and Slytherins had become something of a legend. Started in founding times and they'd been going on ever since. That was the problem with Hogwarts, people weren't willing to grow up and put aside their differences.

However, once she'd calmed down, Minerva could see the logic in his decision. After all she certainly didn't want to see Severus caught up in that ridiculous rivalry. While it didn't happen often, students had on occasion been injured, sometimes even fatally, as a result of the rivalry between the houses. And it was well known that Beauxbatons was far stricter about such rivalries. They lived by a strict anti-bullying policy, and as a result their students typically got along better with their peers. Of course come quidditch time, they were just a ruthless as anyone; the kids needed come kind of outlet after all. Especially those in their younger years, where sex and love were still things to giggle about in class.

"I know why you've chosen not to have Severus attend Hogwarts. I even understand your reasoning. But still I would have very much liked to have seen Severus among our new arrivals when he turned eleven. I must confess I had been rather looking forward to it, no matter how far away that day would be". Minerva conceded, though clearly she wasn't completely happy with the decision.

To be honest though, she had very little right to judge where Severus would attend school. She was not a relative, she'd known the boy for less than a month and her only claim to him was that she'd been among those who'd rescued him from his own life. His grandfather on the other hand had that ever important blood relation. Blood purity was for the most part a tool of magical propaganda, used to categorise witches and wizards into their appropriate social categories. However it was well established that blood relatives that maintained close relationships, such as parent and child or siblings, typically developed stronger magical cores, had higher rates of wandless magic and were on the whole generally more powerful. While there were the occasional exceptions, in children it was particularly important for them to grow in households were they lived with those who shared their blood.

Augustus may not have been her first choice for a guardian to a five year old abuse victim, but he was one of the few blood relations the child had left. Having started and raised his own family, Augustus was experienced when it came to handling children. He knew how to get them to eat properly, how to comfort them when they were distressed and even how to discipline them accordingly. While his methods could be considered harsh, there was no doubt that the man had taken a liking to Severus. And clearly the feeling was reciprocated, as Severus hadn't stopped informing her of his recent adventures, only pausing to seek out his grandfather out of need for his approval. It was only to be expected that Severus would be somewhat clingy to those he considered important to him. He'd hardly let the adults out of sight since their arrival, and if he wasn't on their laps, he could be found leaning against his grandfather's legs as he sat playing on the floor.

"I understand your concern, I do. But I assure you I want only the best for my grandson. I have no intention of harming him, I only want to keep him happy and safe. I know what they say about me, many consider me a monster based on rumours they themselves have spread. But those people are fools, they know nothing about me or the live I live. And I'll do everything in my power to ensure they stay away from my grandson. I'll admit that's part of the reason I left England, far too many people are content with living in the past. Too few were willing to look to the future. Cowards the lot of them, I'm not sorry to have left. And I certainly won't miss the weather for that matter either". Augustus finished, clearly finished with discussing the topic. Not that anyone was complaining.

* * *

><p>Severus opened his latest gift, a journal with soft brown leather and golden thread stitching his name into the cover. Before Kingsley, Poppy and Minerva had left him once more, they'd given some small gifts, as a way for him to remember them. From Minerva he received the journal, a chance to write down his thoughts and feelings if he ever felt he couldn't tell anyone else. It was a good gift, he decided, even if he thought writing down his feelings was far too girly for his liking. He could still write down new potions and spells he'd learned from his tutor after all.<p>

From Poppy, much to his grandfather's distaste, she'd been down to the local market the night before they'd left, bringing Severus a new furry friend for him to meet. Of course she had asked Augustus if he minded, not that that would have stopped her. Clearly he thought the same as he gave his permission. As such Severus found himself the owner of a grey tabby kitten, nothing magical about it, just an ordinary grey cat. At least that's what everyone was hoping for.

Kingsley's gift was something of a surprise even to him. He hadn't expected to get the lad anything more than a box of chocolates. What? Like he knew what to give to little kids. Besides, kids liked chocolates didn't they? But no, that idea had been vetoed when he'd let it slip what he'd been planning to buy the lad. Those two women could be bloody scary when they wanted to be. But no, Poppy had felt it necessary to drag him along with her, while Minerva had taken Severus for a visit around the market stalls. Most notably the book and toy stalls. Clearly the word moderation didn't register with her. It was there that Kingsley found the perfect gift, something every lad needed. Of course he was just a tad worried that the lad wouldn't like it. He was a little more worried that his gift wouldn't react well with Poppy's. After all cats and dogs traditionally didn't get along very well, unless they were raised together from a young age. With any luck that's what would happen here. Which is how, Severus found himself the proud owner of a golden Labrador puppy.

As you can imagine, Augustus was thrilled to have the extra responsibility that came with raising a dog and cat. It wasn't like he had enough to do with raising the boy or managing the manor and his vast fortune. No, clearly he had far too much time on his hands. Time that could only be used up by chasing after these flea-infested animals. But still, he couldn't deny they'd do the boy good, they'd give him some much needed companionship that wasn't an old man or a house elf. And they'd give the boy some much needed responsibility as well.

Well there were worst presents he supposed. It wasn't like they'd gotten the boy a pet rattlesnake or something. Although quite frankly he wasn't sure he'd put it past any of them. But to be safe he felt it best to get them out of his home as quickly as possible, while still adhering to his strict moral and societal expectations. What he wouldn't give to just throw people out of his house for the hell of it. Where had those good old days gone? Oh, right. They hadn't been around since he was seventeen. Blasted pureblood society sucking all the fun out of his life. Well, he could still terrorise them to his heart's content. That was always fun.

* * *

><p>Severus felt happier than he had in a long time. He'd finally been able to thank the ones that had saved him, it was like something out of an adventure story, where the magical creatures saved the hero so he could in turn save the world. Of course his story would deviate somewhat. While in another life he gave everything he had to save those he loved, only to end up dead and hated still by the majority of the wizarding world, in this life his story would be different. While the wars would remain the same, his involvement in them would dramatically change. He wouldn't be left to die alone, but would with any luck live a long and happy life surrounded by loved ones. Of course as all stories go, things may happen which could cause his path to deviate, but then if they didn't, well the story would turn out quite boring wouldn't it?<p>

* * *

><p><strong>Finally I've finished Severus' childhood. While I'm not completely happy about this chapter, quite frankly I don't care because I want to get onto his later life. Look forward to his school life, and more importantly when he'll meet suitors vying for his hand, or just to get him into their beds.<strong>

**Anyway I hope you enjoy and I should be updating within the next two weeks. As always review and let me know what you think. **

**KB**


	6. Chapter 6

**Thanks to everyone who favourite, followed and reviewed this. I hope you enjoy this next instalment. **

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><p>When Severus was five his life changed for the better. He was rescued from a murderous father and taken to his own personal safe haven. He had a grandfather who loved him, an aunt and uncle who cared about him and most importantly pets he adored. His grandfather in turn was happy for the new addition. While at first he doubted his ability to care for the boy, considering what had happened with his mother, he had learned to adapt. In time the two became close, they became family, and Augustus was highly protective of his family.<p>

Now when Severus was six he made his first real friend. A friend who wasn't an animal or a character in his favourite story, no he was a real life boy five years his senior. His name was Lucius Malfoy, heir to the esteemed Malfoy fortune. In truth the boy was cruel, self-absorbed and looked down on those he felt were beneath him. That consisted of the majority of everyone he came across. Except for Severus and by extension his grandfather. Lucius found himself taken with the younger boy, after the two were introduced at the annual Malfoy Yule celebration. A grand affair to be sure. Severus was shy, intelligent and respectful, so unlike the other children his age who were prone to screaming until they got what they wanted. Of course Lucius conveniently forgot that he himself was prone to such behaviour, only he'd learned not to do so in public. He'd been beaten enough for the lesson to sink in. It helped that the boy had become rather attractive; the traditional Snape nose inherited from his father had been fixed at his grandfather's insistence. He'd refused to let the boy go around looking like a parrot, just think of what the public would say. As such, Lucius could be found leading the younger boy around, much like an older brother. Although his intentions were decidedly less innocent.

When Severus was six and a half he met his next friend, well next two friends to be precise. The Black family was a family his grandfather could not ignore, no matter how much he'd like to. There had been many a marriage between the Princes and the Blacks, almost as many as those between the Princes and the Malfoys. It meant that Augustus was forced to invite the family to meet his new ward. Of course he'd feared their reaction, after all their hatred of anything less than pureblood was legendary. And Severus' birth was still a popular topic for discussion, especially with the recent media frenzy surrounding his father's conviction.

But Augustus needn't have worried. Being faced with an intelligent albeit shy young man, with excellent manners and a pretty face was enough for Walburga to dismiss the boy's unfortunate lineage. He was still a Prince, an important fact to consider, a fact that was enough to overcome his father's heritage. Or lack of it as it were. It helped that the boy had been confirmed as being capable to bear children. A Prince bearer was seen as a status symbol and Walburga was determined to ensure she had such a symbol in her possession. It had taken a while for her to convince her husband Orion, the man took his obsession with blood purity to the extreme, but she'd eventually talked him around. They had two children as she so often reminded him. So long as the other was married off to a pureblood of high standing, then everything would work out fine. Besides, Sirius had always been a bit of an oddball in the family, marrying the youngest Prince heir wouldn't be too big a scandal. Perhaps the boy would ground her wayward son, she could only hope.

Now Sirius and Regulus were two very different people, at least according to Severus. Regulus was quieter; a welcome relief from the noise that followed Sirius around like a shadow. He enjoyed learning and could often be found in the library, much to his parent's pride. This shared interest in learning served as the foundation for their friendship. Although the two could also be found playing with Jasper the puppy and Connor the kitten. Of course Sirius was particularly fond of Jasper, though that shouldn't come as much surprise. Given what the boy's animagus form would be in later life, it was to be expected. In truth the boy acted like a puppy himself, always loud and constantly running around. Always getting into trouble too for that matter.

In another life Sirius would become Severus' most hated enemy; he did rather famously set a werewolf on him. Not something you'd be willing to forget, no matter how many years passed by. Of course it didn't help that it was the first thing people remembered when thinking about the two's rather destructive relationship. But in this life, things had changed for the better. In another life Sirius had grown up surrounded by pretentiousness, from childhood to throughout his school years he felt suffocated by the expectations that came from being a pureblood. An eldest heir at that. But in this life there was a welcome change. With the discovery of the youngest Prince heir, Sirius was given a chance to interact with someone who hadn't grown up thinking everyone was born only to serve them.

Now I'm not saying meeting Severus at such an early age changed Sirius into becoming the son his parents wanted, no. Nor am I saying that this early meeting turned Sirius into a kinder, more understanding young man who could see a problem in labelling an eleven year old child as evil, just because they were sorted into Slytherin. No, because that would be rather stupid of me.

Sirius, no matter what life he was living would not suddenly change his views because he made a new friend. It would not make him hate his parents any less for their treatment on those they considered lesser beings. Nor would it make him less likely to oppose Voldemort later in life, because he could see where he was coming from. What this early meeting between Severus and Sirius would ensure however, was that one Sirius would have countless embarrassing stories to tell at his friend's wedding, and two that their relationship would change. Sirius wouldn't target Severus for his latest and cruellest pranks. Nor would Severus do the same, out of a need for retaliation or revenge. Of course a large part of this would be due to Sirius not wanting to get stuck playing with his brother yet again. If he didn't have Severus to play with, someone who actually liked playing games that got them muddy, and who could make up new adventures that didn't involve rescuing a boring old princess, then he'd likely have gone insane. Or at the very least turned to inventing new ways of torture, later to be inflicted on those he identified as evil. Well not his parents obviously, he rather liked being able to sit without pain.

As such, although they were an unlikely pairing, Sirius and Severus became friends at the tender age of six and a half. More out of necessity for their own sanity, but still the two got along well as children do. They played games, made fun of Lucius when they felt they could get away with it, and of course they pulled the occasional prank. Just enough to satisfy Sirius' need to create chaos and Severus' need to have people his own age like him. He'd never really had a friend before Lucius after all and he was five years older than him. So he didn't really count.

Of course, as most siblings do when they share a friend, Regulus and Sirius would get into some horrendous fights whenever they felt Severus' attention hadn't been on them for long enough. Usually they restrained themselves until they were back home, allowing their anger to fester until it became boiling hot rage. Severus was rather ashamed to admit it took him far longer than it should have for him to realise what they were arguing about. It took even longer for him to come to terms with the fact that yes, two children wanted him to be their friend, so much so that they fought with the other over who got to keep him. It was in truth quite flattering really. Of course it became less flattering the louder they got. But eventually, after Severus threatened them with a combination of telling their parents, never speaking to them again and hexing them the minute he got his wand, the two learned to stop fighting. Only about Severus mind you, they still had plenty of other things to get territorial about.

So throughout most of his childhood, the good part anyway, Severus was content with these three friends. Of course he met a number of other children, many descending from the French nobility after his grandfather felt it best to have him introduced to some of his future classmates. It wouldn't do to have the boy seen as a stranger now would it? Nor would it do to risk the boy becoming an outcast for only interacting with English families of note. As such, Severus became friends with a small handful of children. Truthfully he was reluctant to at first, the language barrier being the biggest reason. But as well, Severus wasn't a fan of meeting strangers. He tended to shy away, preferring to watch from behind the safety of his grandfather's imposing presence. But the children were patient; their parents had informed them the strange little English boy had recently lost his parents. Of course they knew none of the details, but they understood that he must have been very lonely and scared. Over time friendships were formed, Severus' understanding of French improved and much to Augustus' relief, Severus would know some of his future classmates.

* * *

><p>Now when Severus was eleven the big day arrived. Severus received his best present of all. Severus finally received his wand; ash with dragon heartstring, 12 inches. A powerful wand to be sure and indicative of the boy's true potential in battle. Naturally Severus was overjoyed to finally possess the tool he needed to make magic. He was noticeably less enthusiastic upon realising he had to wait until school actually started to actually use the damn thing. But he was distracted easily enough by presents and cake. Quite possibly the best method for distracting a child, as many parents would attest. Of course it helped that his friends had stopped by to wish him happy birthday. It was still something of a novelty to have people come visit him, just to see him. Even after all these years, Severus still found himself surprised that people genuinely seemed to like him. Some a little too much perhaps, but he was kept blissfully unaware.<p>

Of course there was a downside to this day. Namely that Severus' birthday was in January and school didn't start until September 1st. So he wasn't too happy about having to wait a good eight months or so to be able to use his new wand. But fortunately living a life where everything he needed and where most of what he wanted was readily available to him, meant Severus had enough to occupy him over those long months.

Soon enough the day came for Severus to leave home. There were tears of course, mostly after finding out he couldn't bring Jasper or Connor with him. Not if he wanted to take his new owl Archimedes that is. Of course Severus knew Archimedes was the practical choice. For he'd be the one to deliver letters to his grandfather, not to mention to Sirius, Regulus and even to Lucius who was entering his sixth year at Hogwarts. But still he'd miss them; they were his first real friends after all. It'd be hard not seeing them until the holidays. But he'd manage; he was a Prince and Prince's always managed. They kind of had to; they might not have survived as long as they had if they couldn't manage. Besides he didn't want people thinking he was a baby.

Of course Severus would miss his grandfather as well; the man had been his one constant since he'd first arrived. Always there to teach him new potions and even sharing stories about his mother when she was his age. Then there was Drippy, the house elf had burst into more than one flood of tears as the day finally arrived. She'd practically raised the lad as her own after all; you could hardly blame her for being upset. She wouldn't be seeing him for months. But of course this had to be done. Severus had to be allowed to grow up sometime. She may not have been too happy about it, but she knew it was necessary.

Severus knew they'd be sad about him leaving, he was a little sad as well. After all he'd lived there for the last six years, long enough that he'd pretty much forgotten about his past life. He didn't want to lose the one place he'd felt safe. But he knew he had to leave. If for nothing else then the chance to read all those books that were just waiting for him in the school's massive library. Well that and the chance to learn even more about magic. And potions. And magical creatures. Apparently there was this giant snake that could kill you with just a glance. Cool right? Well obviously not if you were the one dead, but still. He was an eleven year old boy after all, if it could kill or maim you, then he wanted to learn about it. Well actually Sirius wanted to know about it, but the boy couldn't crack open a book if his life depended on it. So the task was left to Severus to do the research and report back during the holidays.

Anyway, while Severus was a little reluctant to leave the only good home he'd ever really known, in truth he was very excited. Just think of all the possibilities that awaited him. He couldn't keep the smile off his face as he thought of all the things he could learn, the people he could meet, and thanks in part to Sirius' influence over the years, the pranks he could pull. Of course he wasn't too bothered about the pranks bit, but Sirius was expecting to hear he'd pulled something at least. He didn't want to let him down after all.

It didn't take long before Severus was packed and ready, trotting down the stairs with his trunk in tow. Dressed in his specially tailored robes, wand in his pocket and a smile on his face, he looked like every other first year about to attend their school of magic for the first time. Of course chances were he'd be knackered by the time he actually got to the school. He'd been too excited to sleep for most of the night; as such it was only a combination of adrenaline and sugar that kept him functioning. Although it would be unlikely that anyone would notice, after all his classmates would be in identical states anyway. Well you can't really blame them; they were just children after all.

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><p>"Are you ready to go?" Augustus asked his young charge, the boy giving a smile and nod in response. In another life it would have been almost alien-like to see the youngest Prince heir smiling, but in this life, unlike the other, he had much to smile about.<p>

"Come along then, it's time we left". Augustus continued, gripping the boy's hand in order to apparate the two to their destination. Ordinarily the man despised apparating, especially when old injuries would act up. But this was a special occasion, so he was willing to put his discomfort aside, just this once.

Now as I'm sure you're aware, at Hogwarts the way to get to the school was by train via platform 9and three quarters. To get to Beauxbatons Academy of Magic was somewhat similar. However rather than having to go through a muggle station to get to the needed platform, in France, a separate building designed exclusively for magical beings had been built long ago. Rather than making their way to Paris, filled with muggles as it were, the station for students to board, those living in France that is, resided in a sleepy little wizarding community on the outskirts of the country's capital. It meant that people were noticeably less alarmed when scores of children aged eleven tonineteen descended. All dressed in strange robes and talking about the strangest of things. Of course it wasn't strange to them, but it would have undoubtedly been to any unsuspecting muggle. It was in this village that Severus located a friend, and with an approving nod from his grandfather he raced over to catch the other unaware. It seemed Sirius had more of an influence than he'd first thought.

"Hello Mathieu". Severus smiled, whispering in the boy's ear and watching with glee as the boy shrieked and jumped into the air.

"Sev! I told you to stop doing that! Merlin it's like you're a ghost, I didn't even hear you sneak up on me". Mathieu scolded, hand clasped to his chest in an effort to emphasise the shock he'd been given. He was hoping it'd get one of those pretty girls to stop talking to their friends and come over. Perhaps give him a kiss if he was lucky. Well a boy could dream.

"That's the point. And don't call me Sev, you know I hate that name". Severus scowled lightly, unable to keep his face sombre as he felt a smile struggle to escape.

"Like you said, that's the point, Sevvie dear". For that Mathieu earned a cuff to the head. Well he deserved it.

"Boys, when you're quite done it's time you got yourselves on the train. You'll be left behind otherwise". Augustus approached them, Mathieu's parents at his side.

"Got it, wait where's my trunk? Dad have you seen my-"Mathieu panicked, Severus watching in amusement, his own trunk and owl already on board the train.

"I've already loaded your things on the train. And if you don't get a move on I'll be loading you on next". The man replied with amusement. It seemed this was a regular occurrence.

"Severus, I trust you'll make me proud". Augustus said softly, so that only his grandson could hear. The banter from the other family was more than enough to cover his voice from prying ears.

"I will grandfather. You'll take care of Jasper and Connor though, won't you?" Severus asked, he knew the man wasn't overly fond of animals.

"I will". The man was tempted to tease his grandson, he knew how much those two meant to him, but he could tell the boy was nervous enough. No need for him to end up giving himself a heart attack from the worry. At least not in his first year. For his second year maybe, it would make a most amusing story.

Severus risked giving his grandfather one last hug, Mathieu was preoccupied with his parents attempting to cut off his oxygen with hugs of their own. So it was unlikely he'd be ridiculed. Besides he had more than enough blackmail on the boy if needed, just in case. He was a Prince after all.

"Goodbye grandfather, I'll be back for christmas. Tell Drippy I'll miss her". Severus said before finally boarding the train. Augustus merely smiled, waving as the train began to move, Mathieu and Severus seated and waving in return.

"What do you think it'll be like then?" Mathieu asked as Severus shrugged in reply.

"Dunno. Magical I suppose". Severus couldn't suppress the grin as Mathieu groaned aloud at the pun.

"I can't believe you just said that, that was just bad".

"Oh come on, like I'd ever get the chance to say it again". Severus grinned before pulling out a bag of sweets.

"Want one?" Sweets, every child's weakness. And like every child ever created, Mathieu was powerless to resist.

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><p>"I'm sure you're all tired and nervous. Don't be. There's nothing you need to fear. Now you'll all be sorted into one of four houses. Each named after the four legendary creatures that founded the magical community. First we have the Dragon, where the cunning and driven reside. Next we have the Phoenix, where the observant and knowledgeable reside. The third is the house of the Griffin, for those who are brave and strong. And lastly we have the house of the Unicorn, for those loyal and unyielding. Now you'll each be asked to approach the bench. The bench will have miniature figures representing each of the four houses. You'll be asked to hold out your palm, face up, and wait for one of these figures to choose you. Whichever one chooses you as their own means that house will be your new home. Now, we'll start with the A's". Madame Belle informed them, receiving understanding nods in return.<p>

Severus waited patiently for his turn, sharing a smile with Mathieu who was looking increasingly nervous as his turn came closer and closer.

"What if we get put in separate houses Sev?" He whispered, the thought having only just occurred.

"Then we'll just have to see each other every waking moment we aren't in class. You know as opposed to sleeping together, eating together, going to classes together and studying together. You'll probably get sick of me before the week's over if we do end up together". Severus whispered back, although truthfully he'd been concerned about that himself.

"Right, good point". Mathieu replied, only to freeze as his name was finally called. Severus could just hear the funeral march as the boy approached the bench. In mere seconds it was over, the boy's robes gaining a crimson edge as he joined the house of the Griffin. Severus clapped politely following the hall's example. Finally his own name was called.

"Severus Prince". Severus stepped forward, eyes focused on the bench as he held his hand out, palm face up as instructed. It took a little longer than Mathieu's own sorting, though it seemed that was because the dragon and phoenix seemed to be having a little argument. Finally, after several tense seconds, the phoenix soared and rested into his palm. His robes gaining a brilliant amber edge in response, the crest of the phoenix stitching itself on the robe's breast. Severus handed the creature back, smiling as he heard his new house cheering for his arrival. He made his way over to the table meeting his new housemates with a shy smile. He took his seat and gave a sigh of relief. It was done. He was officially a student of Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, and he couldn't wait to get started. Well maybe he'd wait until after he'd eaten.

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><p>Dear Grandfather,<p>

How have you been? I'm sure you wish to know what house I was sorted into so I'll just skip to that part. I'm officially a member of the house of the Phoenix, for the observant and knowledgeable. Mathieu says he wasn't surprised, he said he thinks I'd live in the library if I thought I could get away with it. Which is true, but don't let him know I admitted he was right. He'd be sure to tease me for weeks if he ever received word of it.

My classes are going well, I'm really enjoying being able to actually cast magic now. I was going quite mad learning all the theory and not being able to actually cast anything yet. How are Jasper and Connor? Do they miss me? Oh and Drippy, does she still miss me? I miss you all.

I've made some friends in my house, they seem nice. They like learning like I do. Except there's one boy, Christophe who keeps staring at me. I asked Mathieu if he knew why and he just said I was hopeless. What did he mean by that?

Well I have to go now. I'll see you all at Christmas.

Severus

Augustus suppressed a smile at the letter he'd just received. It had been just a few weeks since his grandson had left and he was still surprised at just how lonely if had been without his boy around to ask silly questions. He re-read the letter once more, smirking as he noted his boy's confusion regarding that Christophe. It seemed his boy was unaware of just how appealing he'd grown to become, especially to spoiled pureblood children who were known for getting exactly what they wanted. They were young now to be sure, he was sure it'd be innocent for now. Secret kisses in the classroom, the occasional hug in the common room. He was sure his boy had a few years before he'd be taken, bent over the nearest surface as his lover drilled into him, marking him as their own. A hurried quickie between classes perhaps, the other's seed still dripping down his leg as he struggled to pay attention in class. His boy wouldn't have to worry about pregnancy until he turned seventeen, that he'd made sure of. But as Beauxbatons had six years before OWLs were taken, as opposed the five at Hogwarts, perhaps he'd best extend that to eighteen. Just to be sure Severus wouldn't be birthing the next Prince heir during his final exams.

In Beauxbatons it had long been decided to postpone OWLs exams an extra year, compared to the usual five. This was to allow for the children to partake in magical internships lasting the year. These were classes specifically focused on giving them insight into their future careers. Ranging from the usual healing and working as Aurors, to the more interesting dragon rearing and taming, spell invention internships at the local ministry, and of course a course on potions design, for those who wished to get rich and famous without having to marry or birth a child. The year also included parenting classes, for it was common knowledge, especially with the recent wars, that these children had a duty to repopulate the wizarding community. And it was only common sense that they be taught what to expect, it wouldn't do to have them birth a child with no idea how to feed or care for it.

Of course sex education was also a requirement, although usually it was unnecessary. Most children by the end of their fourth year had lost their virginity, although waiting until their fifth year was quite common as well. The school itself had been built with contraceptive charms ingrained into its magical core. No teenage pregnancies would be had until they'd reached maturity, usually at age seventeen. There was however the odd exception, some matured faster than others after all. So accidents were known to be had, although they were usually covered up with a quick marriage and removal of the pregnant individual from the school. To allow them to birth in peace, away from prying eyes and rude gossip about their inability to keep their legs shut. Magic or not, there were certain stigmas that would never truly go away, no matter the race.

But, Augustus mused, he needn't concern himself now. There wouldn't be much of anything happening at least until fourth year. So it was best to just sit back and watch the drama of teenage hormones unfold. Of course if he so much suspected a student trying to force themselves on his grandson, there'd be hell to pay. He was a Prince after all, and they were well known for being ruthless bastards when threatened. Not that people were dumb enough to try.

* * *

><p>Severus gasped as he felt the hand trailing down his chest into his trousers. The boy leaning over him smirked as he moved his lips to his little Prince's neck. "Fuck, don't stop" Severus groaned earning a chuckle from the other lad.<p>

"Don't worry I won't. We've got plenty of time to play". The boy smirked before trailing kisses along his jugular. With a cocky grin he wrapped his hand around Severus' cock, lightly teasing as he watched the boy mewl in need. He watched the boy's hips thrust weakly against his own, a testament to how long he'd been doing this to him. The only sounds that could be heard was the panting of the boy in his arms and the slick of his fingers, wet with semen and lube, as they rubbed themselves against the heated flesh held in his hand.

"A-ah, Christophe please! Need it, Merlin stop teasing me and fuck me already". Severus growled, chest heaving as he struggled to catch his breath. The two had been at this a good half hour, Christophe bringing him to the brink, first with his fingers, then his mouth and back to the fingers again. Severus prayed the boy would switch things up once more, preferably with his cock this time. Although if he offered his arse, Severus would be okay with that as well. More than okay in fact, although given the rumours, it was unlikely to be the case. He was hardly the first pretty, young thing Christophe had had in his bed, and chances were he wouldn't be the last. But he didn't really care right now, he was too horny and his mind was too fogged up to think of anything but those hands sending sparks of pleasure into his cock, while his arse tightened in anticipation.

"If you insist, the boy smirked, a truly lecherous smir indeed as he pictured how his boy would look stretched around his cock and helpless to do anything but beg. Whether it be for him to go harder or even to stop, he didn't really care, as long as he got what he wanted he was happy.

"Christophe please! Please, Christophe! Christophe? Christophe?" The boy's eyes snapped open, yelping as his roommate leaned over him, noses almost touching. The other fell off the bed with a whine, leaving him tangled in his now rather damp and sticky sheets.

"Damn it Claude, what the hell were you doing? I was asleep you moron". Christophe scowled; it had been such a nice dream as well.

"I know. We all heard you toss off over that little Prince of yours. Not that I blame you, he's got a nice arse that's for sure. Bet he'd be great in bed. But anyway you're gonna be late for breakfast, it's already half past. Wouldn't want to miss seeing Severus now would we?" His roommate smirked, picking himself up off the floor. Not that he stayed standing long, the pillow thrown at his head made sure of that.

"Idiot". Christophe scowled before spelling away the mess he'd made, grabbing his clothes and heading for the bathroom. The sound of his roommate's braying laughter following him out the room.

* * *

><p>It had been four years since Severus had first arrived at the school, gathering a good number of admirers for that matter. The combination of a pretty face, good manners and high intelligence meant he'd had to put up with a lot of people wanting his attention. It wasn't something he was used to, nor was it something he liked. It didn't help that people were becoming aware that he could carry their child. While he knew the Prince family secret wasn't really a secret, it still disturbed him when he had strange boys, some two or three years his senior, telling him how good he'd look with a swollen belly, carrying their child. Quite frankly it was downright disturbing, enough so that he'd taken to sleeping with his wand under his pillow. The idea of him having a child wasn't the problem, he'd had years to get used to the idea. His grandfather had insisted on enlightening him before he started school. Something he was eternally grateful for. He'd have hated not knowing what it was everyone was talking about, using words like fecund and ripe to describe him whenever they thought he was out of earshot. Better he know his enemy now than be blindsided later.<p>

He performed well in his classes, particularly potions. His teachers had talked about getting him an internship in a potions lab, or possibly at the hospital to learn about their application within a healer's setting. It had been an idea he'd toyed around with for some time, the idea of him being a healer. It would allow him to continue his love of potions, allowing him to invent better and more effective uses for those that already existed. Perhaps he'd even invent some of his own, that'd certainly get him recognised. Plus it'd be easier for him to get funding for potions research if he was a healer. The government was all too willing to grant you money if you were creating ways to help those too sick to help themselves. Particularly if it helped guarantee faster recovery time for their Aurors, a key concern considering the casualties that had arisen as a result of the war.

Severus had, much to his grandfather's relief, made a small number of friends. Just a few good ones mind, he was still a private person, and having too many people around made him uncomfortable at times. Of course he was still friends with Mathieu, he may have been in another house but that was hardly going to stop them from meeting up to study and play the odd prank. Severus had even found himself an admirer, more like a lecherous stalker really. Certainly not by choice by any means. When he'd first informed his grandfather about Christophe, the man had dismissed it as a schoolboy crush.

"You're not exactly some ugly old loser my boy. You best be getting used to having lads our age toss one off in the shower to the thought of your arse and mouth". It was quite frankly one of the most disturbing conversations he'd ever had with the man. He was his grandfather for heaven's sake; he certainly didn't want to be discussing his sex life with him. Not that he really had one. Sure there had been a few heated kisses, the occasional groping and the odd handjob. But he was still a virgin. Unfortunately Christophe seemed rather determined to change that.

It wasn't that the other boy was ugly, in truth he was many a teenage girl's wet dream. Long black hair, friendly brown eyes and he just radiated smugness. He was the stereotypical bad boy that had lost his virginity at age thirteen to a fifth year desperate to lose her own. As such the boy had become rather obsessed with sex, particularly with the idea of having sex with Severus. In fact he'd whispered to him many a time about what he'd do to him, leaving him flushed and panting ever so slightly by the filth that left those lips. And he'd always have that smug, conceited little smirk on his lips. It really pissed Severus off. In truth he'd have been willing to give it up to the other boy, had he not acted as though he was doing Severus a favour by sticking his prick in him. If he'd asked him out back in first year, when all he did was stare at him, he'd have probably said yes. Unable to refuse because he'd never imagined anyone would want him. Had he done so, it's likely he'd have had Severus many a time, in many places all over the school and in countless positions. But he hadn't. Instead he did what he thought was expected of him, to sit back and have his prey come to him, begging him to finally take them. At his earliest convenience of course. It was after all the pureblood way, to have their sexual partners come crawling, keeping them in control of the situation. It was considered weak to have to do the crawling themselves, unless of course they were married and they'd pissed their partner off. Then it was just common sense to do so. Unless they wanted to lose their pricks.

Quite honestly the situation was truly grating on Severus' nerves. As they were both in the same house it had become difficult to avoid the older boy. With Christophe being a sixth year and Severus being a fifth year, it was a little more manageable. He could escape him in most of his classes at least. Except potions, the stupid school had put him in the sixth year class. It was a tragic irony that his favourite class had his worst nightmare in it. But such was life. But there was a slight upside to the situation. Namely that tomorrow was winter break. He'd be going home for Christmas and he'd be able to relax with those he held dear. His grandfather, Drippy, Jasper and Connor of course. And of course he'd get to see Sirius and Regulus again. They'd be visiting Christmas Eve and would even be bringing some friends. They had to be better than Christophe anyway. Plus it'd be nice to see Lucius again, although he had gotten a little grabby lately, it reminded him of Christophe in fact. Except Lucius was five years older, so it was a little more creepy. Only a little though, Lucius had become ridiculously attractive as of late, and he was a dear friend, so he had to give him some leeway. Although he rather hoped he wouldn't wake up to have the Malfoy heir in his bed, hands down his pyjama bottoms and giving him a handjob. He'd about died of embarrassment when Drippy had barged in, chasing the young man out of his bed. But at least he'd gotten off, that was a small consolation.

It would be an interesting Christmas though, that was for sure. Now he just had to survive until tomorrow. With any luck Christophe would only give him one last French kiss, just a simple kiss with his tongue shoved down his throat. No fingers down his trousers, no hands groping his arse, just a simple French kiss that ensured Christophe would leave him alone. Well he could dream at least.

* * *

><p><strong>Okay 6300 words is quite enough I'd say. I really tried not to include a load of OCs as that was one of the things I always hated about fics like these. They'd always have tons of OCs to the point where the main character was really the only one from the actual HP fandom. But I felt I needed to have Severus have at least one friend, and later on a potential love interest. I couldn't have him just go to school and for the story to only continue when he returned for the holidays. I'd have gotten way too bored doing it like that.<strong>

**Anyway I'm gonna be greedy and ask for say three reviews for this chapter. I got two last time so I'm hoping for an extra one. It is the festive season after all. I'll also try and do one last update before Christmas, so it should be within the next two weeks.**

**Hope you enjoyed this!**

**KB**


	7. Chapter 7

**Okay I'm not gonna lie this chapter is about three quarters smut, so be warned. This chapter mostly has LuciusSeverus smut in it, so just thought I'd warn you now. This fic is gonna be JamesSeverus, but like the summary states, Severus will have his fun with a few others along the way. **

**Also it's been a really long time since I wrote smut on here so I would appreciate your feedback. I think the last time I did was like five years ago, wow i suddenly feel really old. Anyway Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>"Hey Sirius, you sure your parents aren't gonna be there?" James asked. He'd met them exactly once in his life and if he got his way he'd never see them again. To put it nicely, they took a lot of getting used to. To put it a little less nicely, they were narcissistic psychopaths obsessed with blood purity and staying in the proverbial spotlight that was pureblood society.<p>

"Positive. It'll just be me, Regulus, you guys and whoever Regulus brings. Hopefully Malfoy won't be there, he usually visits the week before Christmas and leaves Christmas Eve. So he should be gone by the time we get there. At least he better be". Sirius scowled, he held little love for the blond prick that made it his life's mission to annoy the hell out of him.

It really didn't help that Lucius had long since graduated, gotten a successful and highly paid job within the ministry and would constantly divert Severus' attention onto him. It was no secret that the man had long considered Severus as his possession. A prize to be won and impregnated as soon as the boy was old enough to survive the birth. It truly sickened Sirius that people saw his friend that way, as nothing more than a breeding machine designed to produce heir after heir while his partner screwed around behind his back. As was considered acceptable among the elite, provided of course it wasn't made public. Lucius didn't care about Severus the way he did, he only wanted the boy hanging off his arm at public functions. A pretty little Prince for him to show off to his colleagues, something to make everyone jealous and boost his own popularity. Something for him to get pregnant as soon as he felt the boy was ready, and to be married to once he was assured a child was growing in the boy's belly. It wouldn't do to have him marry the boy and for no heir to be produced.

It also didn't help that Severus seemed to actually enjoy the blond man's company. He barely saw Severus enough as it was, what with the two living in different countries and attending different boarding schools. They only really got to see one another when their schools let out for the holidays, and even then only when their holidays matched up. That was the problem with living in different countries, things weren't always the same.

"So what's he like?"

"Who Malfoy? He's a self-centred prick who wants to fuck a guy five years younger than him and who's still in school. He's-"

"I meant your friend. I already know Malfoy's a royal arse".

"Oh, right. Sev's pretty cool. I mean Severus, he hates when I call him Sev. Uh, he likes potions and stuff and he's really smart. He said he was considering going into healing when he graduates, because he knows he'd get funding to create new potions and stuff if he had a healer's license. He said it'd be easier that way rather than trying to get an apprenticeship with a potions master when he's just finished school. Apparently it's really hard to get one, even though I keep telling him that he'd be able to get one no problem. I mean he's a Prince for one, plus he's already taking potions with the sixth years. The only reason he isn't with the seventh year class is because they're making him get his OWL first. Some stupid policy or something".

"Care to tell us anything about him that's not about potions?" James asked blandly, although Remus looked rather interested.

"Well he plays quidditch; I mean he's on his house team as a seeker. It's not like his favourite thing or anything but he likes flying. He's also hot, as in he's had guys panting after his arse since first year. Which I don't blame them for, I mean it is a really nice arse. And he's really good at making out, we used to practice when we were younger and he'd read all these books about how to make things way more intense. Oh yeah and he likes animals. He has a dog and a cat and he goes riding a lot since they have their own stables. And he likes swimming, which is great because it's like the only time you get to see him practically naked. He's kind of shy otherwise, unless you've got your hands down his pants or up his shirt. But yeah I think that's it. I mean he's mostly shy and he likes reading and learning and stuff. But if you get him into the mood then it's kind of like he changes from a geek into a total slut. Just get him hard and pretty soon you'll have him squirming and panting in your lap, like he's desperate for it. It just gets really hot, plus he has this look when he jizzes himself that just makes you want to cum right there". Sirius finished, unaware of the stunned looks his friends sent him.

"What?" Sirius asked, confused when he finally noticed the silence that followed.

"What do you mean what? You were going on and on about how you've slept with the guy when all I asked was what was he like. You're a right pervert you know that?" James finally got his brain working again, giving Sirius a bemused look, a look that Remus shared.

"I never said I slept with him. We just fooled around and stuff, I mean yeah we get each other off whenever we see each other, but we haven't actually fucked yet".

"So you do want to fuck him then?". Remus asked, it seemed James had lost all memory of the English language.

"Well yeah, I'm not bloody blind or stupid. He's really sexy and stuff okay. Plus I've known him for years and we're really good friends. And I know it'd make my parents happy if we hooked up, they practically threw me at him when we were kids. So yeah, I'd fuck him if he'd let me but I don't want a relationship with him. It'd be like a one-time deal or something. He's my friend and I don't want to screw that up because I was too busy screwing him. I mean it'd all just end up a disaster. I don't want to ruin thing between us. He's like a fantasy for me, like something you want but you know you can't have it otherwise it'd screw everything up. I mean he's practically my brother, just you know not in an incestuous way".

"Wow". Remus gaped, James finally regaining his sense long enough to mimic his werewolf friend's reaction.

"What? You think I'm not mature enough to use my brain and not my dick? You think I'm too stupid to realise it's a bad idea?" Sirius asked, he was starting to lose his temper.

James started to nod only to be cut off by Remus. "Actually I was just amazed you knew what incestuous meant and that you used it correctly". He replied, earning an incredulous look from James. Sirius on the other hand merely burst out laughing, the tension that had been building now broken.

"Something Sev taught me. You see? You'll like the guy, I promise. And James I bet you'll _really_ like him when you see him. I bet he'll help you get over that Evans girl at least". Sirius chuckled, swinging an arm around James' shoulder.

James stilled at the mention of the girl, which had not been one of his better ideas he had to admit. It'd been a catastrophe to say the least. The two had dated briefly during fourth year; he'd spent the first three drooling after her and trying to persuade her to go out with him. In fourth year her resolve had broken and the two started dating. However things turned ugly when he'd found out from Remus that he'd seen her making out with a Ravenclaw in their year, behind a bookcase in the library after curfew. Turns out she'd been stringing the two along, unable to decide between the pureblood who could buy her everything she wanted, and the boy who was actually smart enough to hold a conversation that wasn't just about quidditch or sex. It hurt, that was for sure, and the aftermath hadn't been pretty. But James had done his best not to call the girl 'a money-grubbing hypocritical bitch'. He had after all been brought up to treat girls differently; his parents claimed it was with respect although privately he felt the term 'double standards' was more suited.

Sirius on the other hand had no such restraint. While he didn't go after the Ravenclaw, the poor lad had honestly thought his girlfriend was who she claimed; he spread more than his fair share of rumours about young Miss Evans. It was enough to ruin her reputation amongst their year at least, and certainly enough to dissuade any pureblood families from making her an offer of courtship. While Sirius understood she was a muggleborn and therefore unused to the wizarding customs, it wasn't enough for him to resist the urge to torment her for hurting his friend. He was rather vindictive that way.

Of course this was a vast change from how things could have gone. Young Miss Evans could have found herself in a happy relationship, later married and with a little boy to call her own. However this would have cost her something dear, her best friend who introduced her to magic. Likewise James and Sirius could have found another victim, a Slytherin with few friends and an attachment to little Lily. It would have been all too easy to torment him instead, for he had what James wanted all along; Lily's friendship.

But this would not come to pass.

Instead Lily would be introduced to magic by one of Hogwarts' professors at the age of eleven, rather than the age of nine by a quiet little boy. She would find herself drawn in by the magical world, enchanted by everything it had to offer and find herself unable to resist. Of course she'd find herself attracted to those who could help her learn more about it, which was why she'd approached the Ravenclaw in the first place. But of course she wouldn't be immune to the charms of the most popular boy in their year, the boy who'd been after her since they were firsties. Nor would she be immune to the opportunities their relationship would provide for her. A job she could only dream of, more money than she'd know what to do with. It would be too big a temptation. For although she'd not come from a poor family, she'd always wished she could have more. Dating James would be her way of getting what she wanted. Perhaps even what she thought she deserved.

Now please don't think Lily was a monster, she wasn't. She was just a young girl caught up in a world she'd never seen before. Given an opportunity that most girls dreamt of at an early age. To fall in love with a handsome man, get married and live happily ever after. And she'd been so sure she could grow to love one of them. She just couldn't decide which one. Because while one stimulated her intellectually, the other would make her popular amongst her peers. For while people fought against blood purity and its rules, in the world outside of Hogwarts it meant so much more than silly house rivalries. It provided chances for employment, chances to find love and happiness. It was why she'd agreed to James' request to go out with her; she wanted what he offered her. She simply wasn't ready to offer him anything in return. They were only fourteen after all.

It wasn't that she was bad; she was just a child in over her head. She wanted people to like her, to admire her and be jealous of her perhaps. As do many children. She was selfish, as selfish as any other child, but in this case she was a little more so. As such it meant she ended up losing them both. The Ravenclaw dumping her in public, in petty revenge for how she strung him along. Sirius on James' behalf dumping her moments later. James having decided to go with Remus to the library. He wasn't happy to hear what Sirius had done, but he forgave him. He had to. He was his best mate after all and he'd only been looking out for him. But Lily, he wouldn't forgive. What she did hurt, and there'd been no reason for it. Except that she'd been too selfish.

'Besides, it wasn't like she'd been all that pretty anyway'. James thought, rolling his shoulders a though he were pushing away the event for good.

"What makes you think I'll like him? I mean yeah we have quidditch in common but he sounds more like Remus' type. Shy and smart just like him". James clapped Remus on the back. Remus flushed at the attention before shaking the teen off him.

"Huh, you might be right. How 'bout it Rem? You wanna hook up with Sev? I bet you'd like him". Sirius asked, smirking as the flush spread down Remus' neck.

"I've never even met the guy. I wouldn't be surprised if this is just some elaborate prank of yours. I bet he's not even that good looking, you're just saying he is to screw with us". Remus said with a hint of annoyance in his tone. He hated it when people made fun of him, something Sirius did at every available opportunity.

"I'm not. Seriously, when you see him you'll know I wasn't lying. He really does have a great arse". Sirius said with a lecherous smirk on his lips. Severus was a friend yes, a very good friend indeed. Didn't mean Sirius wasn't up for having a bit of fun with him if he asked. He wasn't blind, a bit of an idiot perhaps, but not blind. They'd fooled around enough over the years for him to know Severus would be a proper good shag. They knew how to get the other off just right, it would be impossible for them to have sex that was anything less than amazing.

"You're impossible Sirius". Remus sighed, unable to stop himself from chuckling lightly. It was almost impossible to stay mad at Sirius, true to his animagus form he had the rather annoying ability to give some of the most pathetic looking puppy dog eyes you'd ever see. Hence why he got out of so many detentions.

James merely shook his head at Sirius' antics. In a few minutes the three of them would arrive at the Prince family estate. As it involved travelling overseas, it meant they were unable to use the usual floo that would allow them instant access to the property. And being underage meant they were unable to apparate. So they were left with the option of travelling via the Ministry's international floo network, based in London, and would be picked up on arrival by one of the Prince family carriages. Either that or they could have tried flying on their brooms. Now James had been all for it, but Remus had been notably less enthused. It had taken Remus pointing out the likelihood of them being struck by lightning or caught in a storm to convince James that it perhaps wasn't the best idea. It didn't stop James from sulking for a week mind you.

Perhaps you were wondering where the fourth Marauder, Peter, was. Now don't get me wrong they were all friends, even though Peter was notably quieter and more timid than the other three. Truly the rat was the best choice of an animagus for him. While some of you may have hoped he'd be dead, perhaps never even born, I'm sad to say this wasn't the case. For others of you who wished he was a Slytherin, and therefore never trusted by the Marauders, this too would be a lie. In fact Peter was with his own family for the festive period. Perhaps the only Marauder, aside from James, who was on good enough terms with his family that spending Christmas with them was an enjoyable experience.

Of course that isn't to say Remus hated his parents, far from it. They had stayed with him despite the bite and through all the sleepless nights where he morphed from the shy la he was to a vicious snarling beast. They did their best to cope with the situation, as bizarre as it was. But to Remus they could be a little stifling at times, always on edge a though they expected him to break apart. It made living with them somewhat difficult for extended periods. So when he'd been invited by Sirius to spend Christmas Eve with him, James and a boy they'd never met, he had taken the opportunity. And while he hesitated to say anything, because usually when he did that's when things went spectacularly wrong, he was glad he'd decided to come. Not only would he get to see his friends, the ones who'd stuck by him and even learned how to become animagus in order to stay with him, he'd be able to visit one of the most extensive private libraries in all of Europe.

The Prince family was not only known for their offspring and male bearers, they had many accomplishments to their name. From potions masters to dragon tamers they held accolades in almost every career of note. It was only to be expected of course, after all a Prince was never content with being ordinary.

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><p>Severus gasped as he felt the hand down his trousers tighten its grip, drawing a startled moan in response. He almost whined as he felt the older boy rock against him oh so sinfully, spending sparks of pleasure through his body.<p>

"Ah, Lucius please!" Severus pleaded, feeling the older boy smirk against his neck, teeth nipping at his throat.

"Hmm? Please what my little Prince? What is it you want? Perhaps you want me to play with you some more, hmm?" Lucius smirked as he twisted his fingers drawing yet another moan from the lad he had pinned against his bedroom wall.

"P-please, just please". Severus struggled to think coherently, too distracted by his aching cock and the fingers that tugged him off just the way he liked it.

"Ah, then perhaps you want me to finally claim you as mine? Would you like that Severus? To feel me finally enter that gorgeous arse of yours, to pop that cherry you've held for so long. I'm sure your grandfather would be relieved to know his grandson had finally been claimed. You are fifteen after all, wait much longer and it'll only be an embarrassment that you haven't yet been fucked. It's what you were born for after all. To lie there, legs splayed apart and take what your master gives you. To feel me thrust into your hole and fill you with my seed. It's what you'll be doing the rest of your life after all, best to get an early start. While you're still young". Lucius smirked, unaware as the boy's eyes suddenly snapped open.

Severus was many things, but an easy fuck wasn't one of them. Nor was he one to be won over by reminders of his place, and how it was is duty to produce a child of his own body. Hell he'd heard it often enough from the pretentious snobs that his grandfather worked and socialised with, he didn't need to hear to from his friend who was currently giving him an admittedly fantastic handjob. Lucius was skilled yes, he'd clearly slept with enough students throughout school to know how to please his partners, but he was still an arrogant tosser. If there was one thing Severus hated above all, it was having men like Lucius think they could control him. By having him hang off their arm at social functions like an accessory, then taking him home to fuck him into the mattress until he was once again swollen with their child. It was their belief that he ought to spend the rest of his life pregnant, with no other goals but to please his future husband and keep their cock and balls sated. It was Severus' belief however, that those men would be better put to sleep like a mangy mutt about to die. Tossers like them were only a drain on society as far as he was concerned, and much to his displeasure it seemed Lucius was about to follow in their footsteps.

"Ah, Lucius please! I need you now!" Severus cried, a smirk on his lips as he turned his head away to keep the older boy from realising his intent.

Lucius smirked; he knew the younger boy would eventually give in. He'd finally be getting to sample that tight little arse that had been driving him mad the last year or so. He may have been five years older, but Severus acted so mature that the difference didn't seem so bad. Besides, it wasn't as though five years was that big a difference, even if he was about to screw a teenager. In pureblood society he was rather lucky it was only five years. Most pureblood marriages had gaps of up to fifteen years between the couple. So five years really wasn't so bad. Besides it meant he would be able to guide the lad through it. He wanted him to enjoy it after all. It'd only make him that little bit more desperate for the next time they were together. And a lot more willing at that.

Lucius fumbled with his belt, letting the other boy out of his grasp in favour of getting naked. He wasn't concerned about Severus leaving, not with the way he looked. With his cheeks flushed, panting and shirt rumpled, he already looked well and truly fucked. Now they'd only make it official. He was so busy with trying to get naked that he didn't register Severus drinking from a small glass on the bedside table. Even if he had he'd have dismissed the beverage as water, he'd worked the boy into quite a frenzy after all. Of course it was just as he'd pulled his trousers down that Severus approached him, wrapping his arms around the taller man's neck as he pressed his mouth to his. While surprised, Lucius immediately opened his mouth, searching for the boy's tongue with his own. Instead he found himself with a mouthful of liquid, although he found himself distracted once more by the boy's delicious moans. Feeling Severus' hand trail down to his cock, rubbing against it in such a way that made him gasp, meant Lucius was forced to swallow the liquid lest he choke.

Severus smirked, his plan now a success before he pulled back to give a sweet smile to the man. Of course the potion took almost an immediate effect. Lucius' eyes became glassy, his face slack as he was gently guided to one of the chairs by the bedroom's fireplace.

"Come on Lucius, there we go. Why don't you sit down right here?" Severus smiled as the man obeyed without fuss. Within a minute the man was asleep, his trousers around his ankles and his cock jutting out underneath his shirt, the tip red and leaking copious amounts of precum.

'He's bound to be pissed when he wakes up. But maybe I can take some of the pressure off'. Severus mused. Well he'd wanted to try a blowjob for a while now; he didn't want to be some clueless little virgin all his life. And this was probably the best opportunity he'd ever get. Of course it'd be nice if Lucius had been awake to tell him how he was doing, but he didn't think he'd be able to handle the man's insufferable attitude much longer. Oh well, he supposed the man's dick would tell him whether he was doing a good job or not.

Severus made up his mind, settling himself between the man's legs and taking the cock into his hands. He briefly hesitated, he'd be mortified if anyone walked in on him doing this, but then his grandfather was in a meeting in Paris and Drippy knew better than to pop in unannounced. So he supposed he was safe. Severus breathed once, calming himself, before finally giving the tip a light lick. Just enough to taste and more than enough for Lucius' penis to twitch in renewed interest. It was almost as if it knew it was about to become very happy indeed. Severus risked another lick this time, a little longer in both length and time. Enough so that he got a proper taste of the salty bitterness that flooded his mouth. Steeling himself he figured he might as well go for broke. With that, he carefully wrapped his lips around the older man's cock, he at least knew enough that letting his teeth scrape against it would be bad. So he was careful to cover his teeth, although he privately thought it made him look a bit ridiculous.

He'd read enough to know that trying to go down on the man straight away would be tremendously stupid. Not only would he likely choke, and possibly hit his gag reflex, he'd just make himself look like a complete loser. And he didn't want that. So he took his time, getting used to the strange sensation that came with having another guy's dick in his mouth. Just focusing on the head, rather than risking vomiting from his own overenthusiasm. Of course he was careful to hold Lucius' hips in place, as best he could. He didn't want to risk the older man choking him accidently after all. As he licked and bobbed his head, Severus had time to think. It wasn't nearly as hard as he'd initially feared, difficulty wise that is. All he had to do was keep the man's dick warm, his mouth did that without trying, and wet, achieved through copious amounts of licking, and it seemed happy enough. In fact it only took another few minutes before Severus found himself with an unexpected mouthful of semen. He'd been so lost in thought he hadn't noticed the tell-tale warning signs.

Severus supposed that had Lucius seen him just then, settled between his knees, mouth leaking his seed and semen splashed across his face, the man would have likely blown another load right then and there. Had he been able to get it up that is. Of course he was a Malfoy, the best of the best or so they claimed, so Severus supposed it was possible.

Severus moved to the bathroom, running the tap and set work to cleaning his face, his curiosity abated for now. Now he knew what to expect in the future should he decide to do this again. Obviously not with Lucius, but with someone he liked and who respected him as more than a trophy. Lucius was attractive, yes, but he was still a prick. Besides, Severus had gotten his fill of the man; he'd learned what he needed from him. There was no need for him to gather more data. Especially since doing so would mean having to put up with that smug little grin Malfoy always seemed to carry. No, he had satisfied his curiosity for now. After all, Severus had always held a love of learning, and as far as he was concerned he'd learned everything he needed about Lucius. Now he wanted to learn about other boy's reactions. He needed something to compare to, and it wasn't like he could suck himself off. Although, Severus admitted as his cock twitched in interest, that would be an interesting little project indeed.

Hours later Lucius awoke with some confusion. Of course Severus had made sure to cover his tracks, having re-dressed Lucius and placing a book at the man's feet to make it seem as though he'd fallen asleep reading. It wouldn't have been the first time, it was something of a tradition for the two to sit by the fire and read. Enjoying each other's company in relative silence. Of course Lucius would no doubt have preferred another activity, one involving far less clothing and a lot more noise. But such a thing was still just a fantasy for him right now. And thanks to Severus' work, it would remain that way. Severus knew the potion would do its job, wiping Lucius' mind just enough to make the man believe it had been a dream. Of course he'd wake to see Severus in a similar position, curled up in a chair with a book at his feet. He'd have no questions, it was a position he'd been in many times before, so he'd have nothing to suspect. Little did he know that while Severus appeared fast asleep, his chest rising and falling slowly but steadily, the boy was watching him. The taste of the man's seed still in his mouth and the memory still fresh in his mind.

Lucius blinked sleepily before deciding nothing was out of the ordinary. Casting a look at the pretty raven haired boy he smirked as he recalled his dream. Oh how the boy had begged and pleaded. With any luck it wouldn't be long before he had the boy right where he wanted him. On his back, cock in his arse and child in his belly. After all he was a Malfoy, and Malfoy's always got their way.

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><p><strong>Okay so for the record I don't hate Lily, but I wanted to provide a reason for why James and her weren't together. And I also wanted to make sure that he wouldn't want to go back to her when he returned to Hogwarts. <strong>

**Anyway I hope you all liked it. Sorry it's a little shorter than usual but I thought it'd be a good place to stop. In the next chapter we'll see Severus and James finally meet so look forward to that. **

**I would like to update this another time before Christmas if possible, but I don't know if I'll be able to. But please review, I love hearing from you guys. And thanks to everyone who reviewed and liked the last chapter.**

**KB**


	8. Chapter 8

**Okay I'd like to warn everyone that this chapter does contain non-con but no actual rape. Although there is a brief discussion of rape. So if this is something that you are against reading please don't read.**

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><p>"Lucius?" The tall blond grunted, refusing to wake.<p>

"Lucius, wake up". Severus tried again. Honestly, the man was a Malfoy and an adult at that, yet he slept as though he was still a teenager.

"Lucius? Last warning". Severus warned, a bucket of ice water so helpfully provided by Drippy in his hands.

Lucius remained asleep, although judging by the lecherous smirk on his lips and the tent in boxers; it wasn't too hard for Severus to work out what the man was dreaming about. Of course his name coming from Lucius' lips and the way he humped his bedcovers like a bitch in heat, meant it was difficult to assume anything different. Severus shook his head before readying himself with the bucket. Should his grandfather walk in on him, although it was unlikely he'd do so, he had an excuse all planned out. Not a very good one he could admit, but he was rather hoping that the shock of seeing a soaked, shivering Malfoy cursing up a storm would be enough to distract his grandfather from asking too many questions. It was all about the surprise.

Severus drew back the bucket, ready to throw it on the blond only to stumble as Lucius abruptly sat up. "What are you-" It was all Lucius had time to say before a wave of icy water crashed onto both him and Severus, soaking the two through to their skin.

Severus froze, both literally and figuratively as Lucius drew his hands up to his face and flicked the water out of his eyes. True to Malfoy fashion he managed to do so in a way that was dramatic, while showcasing him as something akin to a Greek god. "Shit". Severus muttered, the bucket clattering to the floor. If Lucius didn't kill him, Drippy surely would for missing. It was no secret, at least between her and Severus, that Drippy found the Malfoy heir to be an arrogant little toerag. Not to mention a pervert, she'd walked in on the two often enough to realise Lucius' intentions towards the boy she considered her child. And she certainly wasn't happy about it.

"What in blazes did you think you were doing!?" Lucius hissed, wringing the water from his hair. Severus tried, he really did, but the situation became too much for him. Mere seconds later he found himself chuckling even as Lucius sent him a heart stopping glare. Truly it was fierce enough, having been honed throughout the generations, to kill a man. Not that it stopped Severus.

"I wanted to wake you for breakfast. I gave you a warning". Severus tried, finally getting a hold of himself. He knew it was a pathetic excuse, but it was just too early to come up with a better one. Perhaps after breakfast when he was fed, watered and had bathed. Maybe then he'd have had a chance.

"You-!" Lucius stopped himself, taking in the boy as he stood soaked to the skin, his pyjamas clinging to his body in the most delicious of ways. Lucius licked his lips, tasting water, before smirking at the shiver that ran through Severus' body. While it was an innocent action, directly the result of being soaked by the icy water, to Lucius it seemed as though Severus was anticipating something. Something he was all too willing to give.

Severus had time to blink, that was it. For a mere second later he found himself staring at the ceiling, the bed now dry thanks to a quick spell. Severus blinked one more, enough time to miss the next series of spells that dried them both and stripped him of his clothes. Lucius smirked cruelly, already palming the boy's crotch and waiting for his body to respond. Severus let out a whimper, struggling to get himself under control. He refused to merely submit to the man, although he was unable to deny that what he was doing felt very nice indeed. Very good. He tried to push Lucius off him, intent on escaping his clutches, only to find his legs suddenly pulled apart. By hand or by wand he wasn't sure, but he found himself unable to close them once more. Something Lucius was particularly satisfied with. He'd had many visions of the boy in such a position, although most had the boy already moaning, his belly swollen and his eyes full of obedience. Love wasn't a necessity, it could come with time, but Lucius needed his boy to be obedient. His pride demanded it.

Lucius paused, they certainly had time. His boy was clearly needy, and his body was grown enough for the intrusion to be accepted. It might be a bit of a struggle but that was part of the fun. But then the consequences could be dire. His boy would remain barren until he turned seventeen. And he doubted Severus would forgive him for forcing himself on him, taking his virginity with his grandfather mere doors away. No doubt his boy would be loud, particularly with that first thrust as he pushed through any resistance and reminded his boy just who he belonged to. He refused to allow his boy to be sullied by another. He'd been the boy's first everything so far; first kiss, first make out session, first grope and first handjob. He'd also been his first blowjob, though Lucius was still unaware. The point was he'd claimed the boy's firsts for his own selfish desires. But there was still a chance for another to take the most important first, barring of course the first child that was conceived in his belly. And Lucius was notoriously possessive; he refused to allow another to be the first to fuck what he'd long marked as his. Hence his current dilemma. Should he give into temptation, take his virginity and deal with the aftermath, secure in the knowledge that Severus would never forget just who it was he belonged to? Or should he put his legs down, ignore the boy's twitching hole, remove his hand from Severus' cock and let the boy go?

Of course he'd be waiting for the boy to regain himself, waiting for him to either walk away with a stiffy, or tug himself off right there in front of him. He'd have to wait for the boy's muscles to stop trembling, and wouldn't that be difficult. He had a choice to make, to potentially ruin his standing with the Prince family while taking what he thought he deserved, or to be an honourable man and leave the boy panting on the bed. The latter meaning he'd be forced to suffer the indignity of tossing one off in the en suite. Unless he managed to convince Severus to suck him off, handjobs could only do so much.

Lucius stared, continuing his leisurely strokes as he watched Severus grow increasingly desperate, before making up his mind. He quickened his pace drawing a whine from the younger boy, before Severus stilled with a gasp, biting his lip as he submitted to his first orgasm of the day. Lucius made sure he had Severus' attention before drawing his hand back, now covered in a sticky white substance and licking a finger with one long stroke. He smirked as Severus gulped, his eyes unable to leave Lucius' mouth. It wasn't every day a Malfoy subjected himself to such a vulgar action, as if they actually cared about their partner's satisfaction. Of course Lucius was willing to tease Severus a little; he was still a virgin after all. All too easy to rile up.

With a final smirk Lucius pushed himself off the bed, leaving Severus to gape after him in a mixture of confusion and lust. "I suggest, my little Prince, you think twice before trying something like that again. Now I believe your grandfather is waiting. You'd best be getting dressed". Lucius pointedly admired the naked body, legs once spread wide apart, now hurriedly closed as Severus flushed under his gaze.

Severus scowled, furious at himself for falling for such a trick. Although he was pleased to note the rather uncomfortable looking bulge in Lucius' bottoms. At least he got off, which is more than what Lucius could claim. He watched Lucius leave towards the room's en suite, before tugging on the pyjamas he'd arrived in, intent on having a quick shower to rid himself of any evidence of what had just occurred. He ran to his room, unwilling to spend any more time in Lucius' presence, all the while praying he wouldn't bump into Drippy or his grandfather. He could only imagine the conversations that would arise from that event.

Ten minutes later Severus was washed, dressed and a little calmer. Lucius was in a similar state, though he'd had to degrade himself with indulging in some masturbation, as opposed to having someone else warm his cock for him. The two made their way to breakfast, arriving at different times much to Severus' relief. He was sat and already eating by the time Lucius arrived a few minutes later. He welcomed the excuse it gave him; he could focus on the food as opposed to his guest. Perhaps it wasn't considered appropriate etiquette but he just couldn't bring himself to face Lucius so soon.

Augustus watched his grandson with interest, he was acting most peculiarly. It didn't take long for him to work out why when he noticed the smirk Lucius sent the boy and the brilliant blush he received in turn. Frowning Augustus scanned Severus with his eyes, checking the boy over for injuries, whether visible or hidden. He wouldn't tolerate any harm coming to his grandson. Although after a few tense minutes, he relaxed. It seemed the only thing damaged was the boy's pride. Well he could handle that. Severus was bound to get over it soon enough, and Augustus was pretty sure he'd soon have some sort of revenge scheme in mind. He was rather creative when it came to torturing those that deserved it. No doubt it was something he learned in school.

"Thank you for inviting me Lord Prince, but I should be returning home. I have a meeting to attend with my father and some of his colleagues. I thank you for your hospitality and look forward to seeing you both in the new year". Severus struggled to prevent himself from making some kind of childish comment. It didn't matter what it was as long as it demonstrated his fury and embarrassment in a way that would make the older man cry.

"Of course, I understand. We'll both look forward to seeing you again". Augustus made to rise only to be stopped by Lucius' next words.

"Oh no, please don't trouble yourself Lord Prince. If you would only permit me to use your floo, I'll be meeting my father in Paris".

"Ah, in that case feel free to use it. Severus perhaps you should show Lucius where it is". Augustus looked pointedly at his grandson.

"Doesn't he already know where it is?" Severus asked sullenly. The last thing he wanted was to be left alone with the man again.

"Severus." In that one word Severus knew there was no point in arguing.

"I'll show you where it is Mr Malfoy". Severus yielded, although he made a point of refusing to address Lucius as such. He was still furious with himself for allowing the man to take advantage of him like that. Though not as furious as he was with Lucius for leaving him in such an embarrassing position in the first place.

Severus led Lucius from the room, making his way to the floo in the foyer. "Here, now you can leave". Severus made to leave only to stop as Lucius wrapped his hand around his wrist.

"Let me go". Severus scowled.

"Now, now that's no way to treat a guest little Prince". Severus grit his teeth at the smug smirk that formed on Lucius' face.

"And the way you treated me is no way to treat a host, Mr Malfoy". Severus shot back, unable to keep himself from scowling.

"You're certainly not behaving in an appropriate conduct. Why your grandfather would be devastated to see you acting in such a way". Lucius started intent on winning the argument.

Severus smirked. "And I'm sure your father and all his colleagues would be very interested to hear how you took advantage of an underage boy in his own home, where you were merely a guest. After all it's not like you have any claim on me, we're not engaged nor shall we ever be. Just think of the scandal should your mother and her friends discover what you tried to do. Attempted rape of a minor is a crime no matter how rich you are. And as you said I am a Prince, my family is of equal standing to yours. There'd be no bribing the authorities should word get out. They wouldn't dare accept".

Lucius raised an eyebrow in response. "Well played my little Prince. Although it was hardly rape, you were practically begging for it. I'm sure you may not have intended for things to happen as they did, but you were hardly protesting. If anything I should be commended for not taking you where you lay, with your legs splayed apart like a common harlot. It's thanks to my impeccable control that you are still a virgin. Thought I'll admit it was very difficult for me to resist. You are a very appealing young man, and I've no doubt you'll be even more appealing once I finally take you into my bed. After you've begged for it long enough of course". Lucius wisely stepped away from Severus, grabbing a handful of floo powder and disappearing into the flames before Severus could respond with violence.

"You absolute prick!" Severus hissed, he was aware that his grandfather wasn't far away. And he didn't want to alert the man to what had just transpired. "You fucking bastard, you're going to regret that. I'll make you incontinent; watch you piss yourself in front of your friends. No wait, I'll make you infertile so you'll never reproduce. Or maybe I'll just make you unable to maintain an erection ever again. Wouldn't that be just terrible news, the heir to the Malfoy fortune unable to get it up long enough to sire a child. Or maybe a combination of all three". Severus seethed, muttering under his breath as he made his way to the lounge.

Severus lay on the nearest couch, picking up Connor and placing him on his chest. Jasper would be too energetic, unable to sit still long enough for Severus to rant. But Connor would merely lie there, lightly dozing on his chest. Sirius and Regulus weren't due to arrive for another half hour, so until they did Connor was the only one Severus felt he could rant to without fear of being judged. Not that the Black brothers would judge him, not Sirius at least. No he'd be the first to help his plot his revenge. And that's what Severus was counting on. Although he wasn't sure how he'd approach them when their friends were in tow. It wasn't really something he could talk about in front of perfect strangers. Most of which knew Lucius personally. That was _knew_ mind you, not _liked_. There's a _big_ difference, especially amongst purebloods.

A bark alerted Severus to Jasper dropping a ball at the foot of the couch. Severus paused in his rant, giving a smile to the dog. He wouldn't let himself take his anger out on his pets, not when he could do so to Lucius with explosive results. Perhaps literally, he hadn't quite decided yet. Severus sighed, cradling Connor before lowering him onto the ground. The cat merely gave a soft mew, rubbing against his legs in affection before once again lying down to sleep.

"Come on, let's play in the gardens. We have time before the get here". Severus clicked his fingers to indicate he wanted the dog to follow him, leading the two outside. Ball in hand Severus turned, checking there were no obvious dangers for Jasper to come across. Not that he could see very much with all the snow on the ground. With nothing unusual to report, Severus threw the ball up in the air a few times. Once he was satisfied the dog was sufficiently satisfied he drew his arm back and threw hard. "Fetch!" He called, Jasper racing off at top speed in a flurry of barks.

Of course in his anger at Lucius, Severus had forgotten one important detail. In all the years he'd owned his dog he'd never actually taught him to fetch. Instead the dog saw it as a game, a game of how long he could keep the ball away from his young master. Of course this dog was now a Prince, a member of the family, and as such he'd adopted their sneaky ways. He'd approach Severus with a smile, ball in his mouth and act as though he were returning it. He'd wag his tail, lower his head and just as Severus would bend down to take the ball; he'd spring up, knocking his master to the ground and race off. It was particularly fun to do so in the snow, when a flurry of white flakes would follow him wherever he ran. It was a great game, something he loved playing. The bigger master, the old one wasn't nearly as fun when his little master was away.

Jasper whined at the thought of his master leaving again. It happened every year but still he didn't like it. It got so lonely, with only Connor to keep him company. And he wasn't nearly as fun to play this fetch game with. Jasper stretched his paws out, tail wagging as he saw his master approach once more. Good, he didn't look nearly as upset as he had earlier, his plan was working. Jasper dropped the ball, gave a bark and head-butted the ball towards Severus. He wagged his tail once again, running towards his master as he waited for him the grab the ball.

Severus picked up the ball in bemusement; he hadn't actually expected Jasper to bring it back to him. "Maybe he's sick". Severus mused, cocking his head as he watched Jasper come to a stop at his feet. Jasper sat down, looked up and cocked his head in response. He gave a questioning whine, to which Severus couldn't help but chuckle at. "Maybe not. Is this your way of cheering me up? Helping me take my mind off that prick Lucius?" Jasper barked in response, baring his teeth at the mention of Lucius. He'd never been fond of the man; he had a strange smell about him. Something sour almost rancid, mixed with a musky smell he sometimes smelled coming from his master's crotch. And his bed. He'd seen how the man looked at his master. It wasn't a good look and Jasper didn't like it.

"Well next time you see him feel free to bite him. Just be sure he doesn't catch you". Severus smiled, scratching him behind the ears. Jasper pushed his head into his master's hand. He always knew just the right place to scratch him, yet another reason he preferred the little master. The older one never did get it right. But that was okay because he sometimes fed Jasper bits of chicken and steak under the table when he thought no one was looking. While Jasper received such treats on his own little plate, it always seemed to taste better coming from someone's fingers.

The two played in the snow for a little while longer. Both thoroughly soaked by the time Drippy came outside. "Little Master, your friends shall be here very shortly. You may want to get inside and change". Severus glanced at his watch, cursing as he realised the time.

"Jasper inside now. Sirius and Regulus will be here soon". At the mention of the Black brothers the dog stopped bouncing in the snow. It was a poorly kept secret that the dog adored Sirius. No doubt because they had so much in common. Jasper ran inside stopping only to look back and bark at Severus. "I'm coming, I'm coming".

* * *

><p>"What is this friend of yours like Regulus?" Mulciber asked as the three sat in the carriage so helpfully provided for them by Lord Prince.<p>

"He's quiet, which usually means he's plotting something. Usually revenge or how to kill someone without anyone being able to trace it back to him. He's sneaky like that. He's smart, top of his class, and really good at potions. Like ridiculously talented, which helps with his whole plotting to kill someone. But he has to be really pissed off for that to happen, which is kind of a shame, he's so good at coming up with something terrifying. He plays quidditch, he's on his house team although I think he prefers to play it rather than watch it. And unlike you two he's not a complete asshole, which automatically makes him better than you". Regulus finished, grinning at the identical glares he received from Avery and Mulciber.

"You're such a liar, no one's better than us". Avery smirked, tossing his head back in smug superiority.

"A blind monkey is better than the two of you put together". Regulus retorted. That little comment earned twin cuffs to his head, though evidently it wasn't enough to wipe the grin of his face.

"Whatever Reggie my boy. Hey so is this friend of yours hot? I heard he's a carrier, that's got to feel good around my dick".

"Yes, yes and like he'll even give you a second look. He's way out of your league man. For one he's not a brain-dead moron like the sluts you usually fuck in the common room after hours. Besides Malfoy already claimed dibs on him. You really gonna go against Malfoy?" Regulus asked curiously. Personally he wasn't a fan of Malfoy; the man was too self-absorbed and far too interested in his friend for his liking. But he was well connected and affiliated with a man said to be the next Dark Lord. And as a Slytherin good connections were as vital as breathing.

"Depends how hot he is. If he's a hot as people claim then Malfoy just might have some competition". Avery smirked.

"Sure, just not from you. Piss off Malfoy and you'll be dead before you have chance to even meet Severus". Regulus retorted. He wasn't exaggerating, Malfoy's were well known for being possessive murderous bastards when they didn't get their way. They just never got caught. A combination of bribery, intimidation and outright threats made it easy for them to get their way.

"Whatever man".

"We're here". Mulciber interrupted their arguing. Just as well, he was about to hex them both. It didn't matter to him that he'd get in trouble for performing magic outside school grounds. If it shut the two up he'd be all for it.

* * *

><p>The conversation in the other carriage wasn't much better.<p>

"Hey how long is it 'til we're there?"

"Ten minutes".

A minute later, "how long now?"

"Nine minutes".

Another minute passed.

"Sirius?"

"Eight minutes".

"Uh-"

"Fucking hell James haven't you ever heard of a watch? Seven fucking minutes. And if you ask me again I'll throw you out the bloody carriage. And I sure as hell won't wait for it to stop".

"Hey Sirius?"

"What Remus?"

"How long now? I don't have a watch". Remus smiled innocently, ducking as Sirius threw something at his head.

"Pricks".

* * *

><p>Severus sighed impatiently as he lay sprawled over the couch once more. Severus was many things; a Prince, a carrier, a potions genius, but the one thing he wasn't was patient.<p>

"Little Master, your guests have arrived". Drippy popped in, much to Severus' relief.

"Thank you Drippy. I'll call if we need anything". Severus sat up making his way to the foyer where Regulus and his friends were waiting.

"Hey Sev". Cheery as ever Regulus clapped him on the back.

"Don't call me Sev". Severus scowled, briefly nodding to his friends.

"Please you know you love it. Oh, this is Mulciber and Avery; they're in Slytherin with me".

"I never would have guessed. You've only mentioned them in every letter since you started at Hogwarts". Severus gave him a pointed look. "It's nice to meet you both". He still had hosting duties to do after all.

"Likewise". Mulciber responded. It appeared that Avery was too distracted by drooling over the boy's arse to speak. Though he had to admit it was a very nice arse. If he were gay he'd have probably fucked him himself, just to see what it was like. He was pretty enough to be in his bed that was for sure.

Severus watched Avery warily. He had that look that Lucius usually had, right before he did something that was bound to leave Severus humiliated. It wasn't a look he was fond of.

"The geniuses have arrived. Make way for the legendary Marauders. Please hold all applause until the end". Sirius swaggered in, James right behind him and Remus covering his face with his hand. The things he had to put up with.

"Shouldn't there be four of you". Mulciber sneered. They may be guests at the Prince manor but he wasn't about to put aside their rivalry just like that.

"If you ladies are finished gossiping, I have something you might be interested in doing. Follow me".

Severus turned, walking back into the lounge. He didn't bother checking to see who was following; he doubted they were stupid enough to go wandering alone. Sure enough they all followed, though some were distracted by the swaying and oh so tempting arse in front of them. James licked his lips at the sight, Sirius hadn't been kidding. This boy was surely a sight to behold. And he was sure he'd look even better writhing beneath him in bed. Cock up his arse and cum on his face. Just the way he liked his lovers to look.

"So what's up? You're not your usual happy self Sev". Severus just glared at Sirius, how he loathed that name.

"I need help making Malfoy suffer". Severus stated flatly, now wasn't the time to become emotional.

"Whoa you called him Malfoy. He must have really pissed you off this time". Sirius remarked, wide eyed as he observed Severus' fingers twitch in agitation.

"He did. And if you three would kindly stop glaring at each other, I'll tell you why". James flushed, realising he'd been caught red handed. But he complied, choosing to sit down as he flashed a charming smile towards Severus. Much to his annoyance Severus felt himself blush ever so slightly, the boy was too damn charming for his own good. And not half bad to look at either. Avery and Mulciber followed suit, Avery because he shared James' intentions and Mulciber because he'd grown tired of standing around.

"So what'd he do this time?" Sirius asked, bringing his leg up to rest on the other thigh.

"Stripped me naked, spelled my legs apart and acted like he was doing me a favour when he decided not to rape me with my grandfather just down the hall". Severus said flatly, though he seemed genuinely surprised at the horrified expressions that stared back at him.

"He fucking what!?" Sirius roared, Regulus not far behind.

"What did you do to him?" Surprisingly enough it was Remus who posed the question. Something told him Severus hadn't divulged the whole truth, so he was reluctant to react until he knew all the facts. Ever the scholarly lad he was.

"I threw a bucket of ice water over him, or tried to anyway. Damn bastard woke up so we both ended up soaked. Of course I was trying to wake him up so I suppose it did the job". Severus answered; he wasn't going to bother lying. Or as his grandfather termed it, manipulating the truth beyond the comprehension of those simple-minded peons.

"Even if you did that's no fucking excuse for what he tried to do. And what if he'd actually done it? That prick, if I see him again I'm slicing his balls off and stuffing them down that pompous neck of his". Sirius spat, not literally as he was still a guest but you get the idea.

The others agreed vehemently, each in various stages of anger and disgust. It was a rare sight to see Gryffindors and Slytherins agreeing on anything, but as Severus was not a Hogwarts student, they felt it was alright to agree just this once. Severus sat back watching them talk amongst themselves. And here he'd been worrying that they'd be too busy trying to slit each other's throats. As much of a bastard as Lucius was, his actions did provide him with the perfect opportunity to not only get the others to cooperate with each other, but also allow him to get his revenge.

Truthfully the event hadn't been as traumatic as Severus made it seem. He knew all he would have had to do was call Drippy and she'd have castrated the man then and there. Even if Lucius had used Silencio it wouldn't have mattered. He'd been slowly learning the art of Legilimency, under his grandfather's tuition of course, and had been sure to establish a firm connection with Drippy as soon as he was able. Just for situations like this. But he'd wanted to see how far Lucius would go. Whether he would prove himself to be just another spoiled pureblood prick taking what they weren't allowed. But he'd been surprised, almost pleasantly so, to learn that Lucius apparently still had some morals. No matter how loose they may be. He'd had ample opportunity to penetrate him, splitting him open and ruining him for any other man. And yet he stopped himself, showing remarkable restraint considering how much he'd been going on about Severus belonging to him. But still, Severus wasn't about to admit that to his friends, he was having too much fun. He got to play the helpless victim while ruining Lucius' reputation. The man did deserve it after all. He might have shown restraint when it came to actually taking his virginity under his grandfather's nose, but should the two have been left alone, Severus knew he'd now be sporting a sore arse and hurt pride. At least he wouldn't be with child, that was something he simply wasn't ready for. Not now at least.

Remus watched Severus with interest. The boy still wasn't telling the truth, his wolf was certain of it. And yet he manipulated the emotions of his friends of so masterfully, making himself appear to be nothing more than a wide eyed victim in need of saving. It was truly masterful acting; Remus had to give him that. Remus thought briefly as to what house Severus would have been sorted in had he attended Hogwarts. While his initial thoughts were Slytherin, the house of the cunning, a brief thought passed through his mind.

'Perhaps he'd be a Gryffindor like me. He's certainly brave enough going against Malfoy like that. Brave or stupid enough, I'm not sure I can tell'. Remus thought to himself.

While Remus lost himself in his thoughts, the other boys argued amongst themselves about the best way to get revenge. Each contributing their own pranks designed to inflict maximum humiliation, physical damage and emotional distress. Severus simply sat back and smirked, watching the boys argue amongst themselves.

People always seemed to underestimate Severus, thinking him as nothing more than a shy, sweet lad whose role in life was to spread his legs for a rich man and carry his babies. Well he was ready to show them something different. Severus simply sat back and smirked, watching the boys argue amongst themselves. Sometimes it was just _too_ easy.

* * *

><p><strong>That's the end of this chapter. I know it's not what some of you might have expected, but I wanted to try and show that Severus was still the same old bastard we know and love. Just smaller and with a happier childhood and future. Plus this gives me a great opportunity to get Lucius out of the picture without changing the canon story more than it already has been changed.<strong>

**Please review and let me know what you think. And thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter.**

**KB**


	9. Chapter 9

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed and liked the last chapter. Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

><p>James Potter was used to getting things his way. It wasn't that he was nasty about it, quite the opposite in fact. He was suitably charming which meant people were usually all too willing to give him what he wanted. Except for Severus it seemed.<p>

When they first met James was hooked. The boy was everything he realised he wanted. Someone intelligent without being boring, someone attractive without being a narcissist and above all someone who knew how to play quidditch. That latter had always been an important requirement for him. And James had initially thought Severus felt the same about him. He smiled at him, a shy smile that made him look so much happier. James had noticed that when he thought no one was looking, Severus would frown. Just a slight frown as he worried his bottom lip with his teeth. He always seemed so troubled during those times.

Not that James could blame him. He'd heard from Sirius what the other boy was going through. How not only Malfoy but some creep from his school kept hitting on him. Telling him he'd soon be having their babies. He was fifteen for fuck's sake, who the hell was thinking about babies at that age? Fair enough there was a war on but it didn't mean Severus should be forced into anything just to continue some pureblood twat's family line. He deserved better.

'He deserved…me' James thought to himself. It was true. Severus deserved someone his own age, someone who could take care of him without smothering him. Someone he got on with and had more to talk about with than just the weather or how his partner's day had been. Alright he might sound a bit conceited, James that is not Severus, but he was sure he had way more to offer than anyone else. And certainly a hell of a lot more to offer than that creep Malfoy.

"-ames? James? Anybody in there?" James blinked owlishly as Sirius waved his hand in front of his face.

"Oh good you're back with us. We were afraid we'd lost you mate".

"Just thinking of ways to make Malfoy's life miserable". James brushed off the questioning glance Remus sent him.

"Did you come up with anything?" Severus asked. On the surface he was calm and collected, but inside he was growing angsty.

They'd been at it for over an hour now without much luck. Everything they'd suggested he was forced to shoot down. He knew Lucius, he knew his weaknesses and more importantly he knew his strengths. And the man had a lot of strengths. So far suggestions had included public humiliation at the upcoming New Years' Ball being hosted by the British Ministry. It would be funny sure if they actually managed to pull it off, but what were the chances of that happening with everyone form Dumbledore to the Minister of Magic in the same room. The security alone would be a nightmare to bypass. Other suggestions had involved Severus seducing Malfoy, something that he flat out refused, in order to catch him half-naked with an underage teen forcibly held underneath him. Then they'd contact the appropriate authorities, submit their memory of the event and watch as Malfoy fought off child abuse and statutory rape charges. The flaws in such a plan should have been obvious, Severus felt. For one thing he could just submit the memory he already had to the French government. It'd be enough to get a warrant at least, but with Malfoy being English it would only at best result in him being banned from the country. There was also a strong chance Malfoy only needed to flash his cash and the problem would disappear from official records. A third suggestion came from Remus, suggesting Severus inform his grandfather so that he could go above Lucius' head and confront his parents. That idea was again shot down. Severus had to explain how his grandfather knew Lucius was pursuing him, and considered the blond man's advances to be just a bit of fun. The man wouldn't be convinced otherwise unless Severus showed signs of being injured. His pride didn't count apparently.

"Well what if you were already with someone? Then he couldn't claim you for himself".

Severus seriously considered it. It was an idea, a good idea at that. One he really should have thought himself given the obviousness of it.

"Like who?" He asked. Although judging by the grin on James' face, it didn't take a genius to work out who he meant.

"Well, someone around our age. Maybe a pureblood from a well-respected family, someone who happens to be devilishly good looking, fun to be around and who happens to be a fantastic quidditch player". Clearly subtlety wasn't James' strong point.

"Didn't you fall off your broom in the last match before winter break?" Mulciber interrupted with a smirk on his lips as he replayed the event over in his mind.

"Only because you lot had to resort to cheap tricks in order to try and win. Not that it worked". Sirius shot back.

"You were saying?" Severus interrupted before the two came to blows.

"Go out with me". Direct and to the point, guys liked that right?

"I-". Severus had been expecting it, but it didn't mean he was prepared for him to actually ask. There was a difference between fantasy and reality and to Severus things had just become very real.

"Whoa! Hold up! I never agreed to this". Sirius interrupted, Regulus not far behind.

"What do you mean you never agreed? You're the one who practically dangled him in front of my face on the ride over here". James argued.

Severus turned calmly towards Sirius. "Did he now?" It was quite funny how quickly Sirius paled at that.

"Now wait a minute I only said good things about you, good things. All I said was that I wouldn't go out with you because you were too much like a brother to me". Sirius backpedalled. He'd seen Severus pissed off plenty of times. It wasn't something he wanted to have directed at him. He wanted to live to see Christmas at least. Though the chances of that happening weren't looking too good.

"Didn't you say you'd sleep with him but you wouldn't date him?" Remus asked. He couldn't resist. Sirius was just too amusing when he was panicked and trying to get himself out of the hole he'd dug himself in.

"Why? Why would you-? Why?" Sirius spluttered. What was this pick on Sirius day?

"Oh I already know about that. We've already fooled around before so that doesn't bother me". Severus said, gaining shocked faces from practically everyone.

"You talk in your sleep". He added, looking directly at Sirius who reddened.

"So what do you say?" James cut in.

"Yes. I'll go out with you. To get back at Malfoy I mean".

It was a good plan. There was nothing that would piss Malfoy off more than the thought that Severus wasn't his. Besides James was very attractive and although it made him shallow, Severus could admit that it was a major reason for him agreeing to his offer. It wasn't like he had much else to go on. All he knew about him was that he was a quidditch fanatic, according to Sirius; he'd broken up with his ex because she'd cheated on him, also according to Sirius and he was ridiculously attractive. That pretty much summed up his knowledge on James Potter.

But hey, it was more than what most people knew before agreeing to go out with someone. And he'd learn more about him the more time they spent together, probably. Or at the very least they could fool around a bit. That was bound to piss Malfoy off. Always an added bonus.

"Y-yeah, to get back at Malfoy. Of course". James grinned, faltering a little as he couldn't be sure if Severus was serious or not. He wanted to ask him out so he could eventually fuck him, not just to piss Malfoy off. Although, James would later admit, that would be a very nice bonus indeed.

Severus smiled at him, a genuine smile at that. He couldn't help it, the other boy just looked so full of himself; he needed to be brought down a peg or two. Not that James cared. Severus had said yes, he actually agreed to go out with him. It didn't make them a couple, not yet anyway. But it was a start. And James was determined to have Severus all to himself. Call him selfish or possessive, but the boy knew what he wanted and he wasn't about to give it up. Much like a toddler with a favourite toy. Only this was a toy he was hoping to shag upstairs while his friends buggered off elsewhere for an hour or so.

Mulciber had to physically restrain Avery, unable to keep the smirk off his face. His fellow Slytherin wasn't happy that his new shiny toy was being taken away before he even got to play with it. Not happy at all. But what did he expect when going up against Gryffindors? They were bravery personified, known for being instinctive and stupid. They didn't back down from a challenge and in this situation, Severus was the challenge to be won. Avery made the mistake of relying on Slytherin cunning, instead of relying on Slytherin ambition and drive. And it resulted in him losing what he wanted.

Sucks to be him.

Mulciber carefully hid his smirk from Avery, aware that it just might be the thing to tip him over the edge. It was bad enough they were in the same room as Gryffindors without being able to pull any pranks on them. Add on top of that Avery missing out on Severus and the Slytherin was becoming increasingly agitated. Which would usually be funny. But when there were three Slytherins and three Gryffindors pitted against each other, two of whom were brothers, and most competing for the same attentions of one person, it quickly became complicated.

But still funny. There was no denying it was funny.

"Right can we do something else? Please?" Regulus asked, partly in an attempt to keep Avery from making a scene, but mostly because he'd quickly grown bored.

"Quidditch!" It was amazing just how alike James and Sirius thought.

"No!" Was the mostly unanimous response, drawing scowls from the two Gryffindors.

"Well we can go outside in the snow. Or go swimming in the indoor pool". Severus suggested, the latter gaining a dirty grin from more than one of the boys.

"But I never brought my trunks". James smirked. "Guess I'll just go commando".

"No you bloody well won't. I ain't swimming if I know your dick's gonna be flapping around in the water". Mulciber spat. Screw keeping Avery calm he was about to go off on one himself.

Severus merely chuckled. Partly at James for his misguided attempts at seduction, but mostly at the look on Mulciber's face. He looked well and truly horrified, as did the other boys after his outburst.

"Snow it is then". Remus piped up. He was actually quite relieved to be going outside. If only because the snow would allow his friends to wreak havoc, in a way that would only cause semi-permanent damage. Well provided they didn't try to blind anyone by throwing snowballs in their eyes. Remus was thankful, and not for the first time, that they were forbidden from using magic outside of school. He didn't want to imagine the carnage that might happen otherwise.

"Sounds good to me". Severus said, cutting off any protests.

And so a good time was had by all. Slytherins attacked Gryffindors and vice versa with snow. It was about the only time it was considered socially acceptable to try and inflict harm on another human being. And after a couple of hours of fun, consisting of several snowball fights which evolved into all out wars, the boys finally trudged inside, soaked to the skin and absolutely shattered. It was then they decided enough was enough; it was time for them to go and be with their families.

"Hey wait". James pulled Severus to one side as the others were preparing to leave.

"What?"

"When are you free? So we can go out on a date I mean". James asked.

"Oh, uh I guess after new year. We could do it the Saturday after, the week before school starts". Severus replied, a little caught off guard.

He hadn't exactly taken into account that agreeing to go out would involve actually going out on a date. In public no less. While logically he'd been expecting such a thing to occur, it hadn't really registered that he'd be going on a date. With one of Sirius' friends no less. As silly as it sounded, Severus had fooled himself into believing he and James would be going out, without actually _going out. _That it'd be in name only as a means to infuriate Malfoy into making a spectacle of himself.

'But then being seen in public together would only fuel the rumours of our relationship. It would give us credibility and allow the gossip to spread to Malfoy. So this is only logical, it makes sense to do it. So why is this making me so nervous?' Severus thought to himself. He swallowed instinctively, fighting a blush as he realised James was staring at him intently.

"Good". James smiled, relieved that he hadn't been rejected. Now he only needed to convince the other boy that he hadn't only asked him out to get back at Malfoy.

'But how long would that take?' He thought to himself.

James stared a few seconds longer, licking his lips as he watched the other boy grow nervous.

"What is it? Ja-" Severus was cut off by the other boy pressing his lips to his. Just a quick brush lasting seconds. But for Severus it left him wanting more, his heart racing as the other boy pulled away with a cocky grin.

"See you then yeah? Merry Christmas". James smiled, receiving a shy smile in return.

"Merry Christmas".

So with a final nod the two parted ways. James left with Remus and Sirius in tow, while Regulus escorted his own friends out. Severus followed them to the awaiting carriages. As was expected of any good host, giving a short wave as they made their way from the courtyard.

'What did I just agree to?' Severus asked himself as he returned inside the house. Partly horrified with what he'd gotten himself into, and yet he simply could not keep the smile off his face. Nor it seemed could he keep his fingers from brushing his lips. While not his first; he'd been pressed against various surfaces many a time by various boys looking for a good time, it was however his favourite. Possibly even the best kiss he'd had from a boy.

"Is there to be a Mr Severus Potter in the future I wonder?" Severus blinked. He was confused, unsure if it were just his imagination. Hearing someone clear their throat he turned around, face darkening as he realised his grandfather had been eavesdropping.

"G-grandfather! W-what are you doing back so soon? You said you would be back late." Severus stammered, embarrassed beyond belief for being caught so unaware. And all because he'd been thinking of a boy. A very nice, very attractive boy yes, but still it wasn't something he felt comfortable discussing with his grandfather.

"You sound disappointed. I suppose you'd have preferred to daydream about your little boyfriend for a while longer. Well I'm sorry to disappoint but I decided I wanted to be with my favourite grandson on Christmas Eve. Besides I was out collecting your present. I know you'll like it". Augustus chuckled as his grandson blushed at the mention of the word boyfriend.

'Young love. So sweet and yet…bound to end in utter disaster'. Augustus smiled. Though he'd personally see to it that it wasn't his grandson who ended up the hurt party.

"What is it?" Severus asked. Cheeks still red but this time part of it could be attributed to pure excitement. The way only a child could feel before Christmas.

"Ah, ah, ah. You'll find out in the morning. Now come, tell me about this new boyfriend of yours".

Severus groaned in embarrassment, drawing a raised eyebrow from his grandfather.

"Yes I'm sure you'll be getting up to that with him soon enough. Now tell me what he's like". Augustus led him into the lounge, much to his embarrassment.

What followed was quite possibly the most awkward conversation he'd ever had in his life. With the possible explanation of how he could bear children for a man of status and wealth. That was one he hoped to never repeat. Never ever again.

* * *

><p>"Little master? Wake up, it's Christmas morning. Come, come rise and shine" Drippy coaxed the boy from sleep. With a little help from a well-meaning cat and dog who felt it best to walk all over their master until he awoke. With a few more scratches and bruises than he'd gone to bed with perhaps. Such was the hazards of owning animals.<p>

"Mmh hmm. I'm awake". Severus mumbled, unable to hold back his yawn.

"Come now. Time for breakfast. Then you can open your presents". Drippy coaxed him from bed, dressing gown and slippers at the ready. He really wasn't at his best in the mornings. Even if it was Christmas.

Christmas at the Prince Manor had always been a lavish affair. Although it was usually the two of them, it was enough. Severus' aunt and uncle and would usually drop by in the evening with their respective families, but otherwise it were just the two of them. And Drippy of course. Oh and Connor and Jasper, but that was it. It was a day for merriment, for Augustus to sample his finest whiskey and liqueurs, while Severus begged his grandfather for a sip here and there. Not enough for him to become drunk, but just enough to keep him smiling and pleasantly tipsy in his grandfather's company. Naturally of course the day was filled with food. From the usual breakfast, with festive delicacies added in, to the traditional Christmas Lunch followed by pudding, cheese and coffee for afters. Dinner was rarely required; there was simply not enough room for it. And of course there were the presents. Big ones, little ones, grand ones and not so grand ones wrapped in all colours of the rainbow.

As a child Severus came to love Christmas. While he still lived with his parents it was the one day they kept their arguments quiet. A day for peace and spending time with family, or so his mother had said. Something it seemed she'd gotten from her father. And when he came to live with his grandfather, Severus found it was much the same. Filled with quiet tranquillity, a day devoted to spending time with family. Only there was a lot more food and presents. You know the only things children really take notice of at Christmas.

And snow. There seemed to be a lot more snow in France around Christmastime, Severus had found. Though he wasn't sure if his grandfather had perhaps cast a spell to make it so. But it was truly a spectacular sight to see. That was for sure. With the grounds covered in a layer of pure white, deep enough to create an array of snow creatures; snowmen and snowwomen, snowdogs and snowcats and of course the ever popular snowballs and snowforts. Truly a child's dream come true.

"Sleep well?"

"Yes grandfather. Here boy". Severus snuck a bit of sausage under the table, grinning as a slobbery tongue promptly divested his hand of its burden. "Good boy" he murmured. Augustus merely shook his head in mild disgust. He'd let the boy off, it was Christmas after all.

"Finished are we?" Augustus asked, amused at the guilty expression that Severus now wore.

"Yes sir". Severus nodded, struggling to keep himself still. Calm and poised, that was the way a proper pureblood had to act. Severus knew that, but still on Christmas it seemed the rule became so much harder to follow.

"Very well. Off you go, get your presents out from under the tree. And grab mine too while you're there". Augustus barely finished his words before the boy was off like a shot. Dog barking in excitement at his heels.

Turning to the cat sprawled at his feet, Augustus offered a bit of smoked kipper. It was Christmas after all.

* * *

><p>Augustus found himself chuckling at the absolute carnage that had been left for the animals to frolic in. Wrapping paper and ribbon was strewn across the floor, each serving as a new toy for dog and cat respectively. Severus was curled up on the sofa, blanket thrown over his shoulders and head buried in a large tome filled with potions and spells long thought forgotten. It had cost an awful lot, particularly for knowledge that was thought to be useless. Full of spells and potions that would simply not work the way they'd been recorded. But it was why he'd chosen it. He had a feeling, a good feeling that his grandson would get at least one potion to work. And if he did, his career would be set in stone. It would guarantee him his masters. It would propel him on his journey to becoming an accredited potions master. Or healer, whichever he was going with, there was still time to choose. Though it was likely that it would be a mixture of the two. It never hurt to have more than one paycheque coming in. That was how the rich got richer.<p>

Augustus glanced over at his grandson once again. Clearly he wasn't a morning person seeing as how he was now fast asleep, book resting on his chest.

"Ah, to be young again". Augustus sighed, feeling his own eyes droop before he followed suit. Minutes later the two were fast asleep, with only the pets still jumping about. They'd be up again within an hour or so, there was still lunch to be had, but until then it was a time to be lazy, bellies still full from breakfast.

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><p><strong>This took me a little longer than I planned but I've been busier than usual. But still I hope you all enjoyed this. <strong>

**Like always I'd like two reviews before I update, so please review.**

**KB**


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